


Becoming Yours

by BlueMarian



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Drama, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Humor, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2018-03-19 13:54:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 25,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3612453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueMarian/pseuds/BlueMarian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>❝He can be the best thing for her or the worst.❞</p><p>What a fool, losing in a game that he started. Such a damn fool to think he'll win in a game against love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Aubrey White, a girl with brunette surprisingly tamed curls, stood in front of her closet trying to choose what to bring and what not. She’d be leaving for fortnight with her best friend, Charlotte, and spend time with their other five friends.

The said brunette bit her lip as she thought what the two weeks vacation can bring them. After years of being close friends of a British-Irish boy band, Aubrey can’t help but anticipate the fun they’ll be having for the rest of the days they have together.

Catching a pastel coloured top, she quickly grabbed it and added it to her piling clothes in the luggage.  Thinking she had enough clothes for two weeks, the teenager kneeled down and zipped it close.

“Aubrey!” a shrill voice called out as her bed room door opened with a loud ‘bang’. 

Already knowing who the voice belonged to; Audrey just rolled her eyes and looked up from her luggage to look at the person who just barged inside her room.  Raising an eyebrow, the brunette stood up and waited for the blond in front of her to give out a comment.

Aubrey waited for the blow as she watched her best friend, Charlotte Williams; look around her organized bed room with a grin before it stopped right in front of her luggage.

“Whoa, wait. Did you pack your whole closet with you?” Charlotte teased the brunette before throwing herself to the only messy part she can think of, Aubrey’s unmade bed.

Aubrey just rolled her eyes and mockingly laughed at the girl who was sitting down on her bed. “Ha. Ha. Ha. You are being rather funny, Charlie.” She replied as she looked around her room and double checked if she forgot any.  As a reply to her, Aubrey saw her best friend shrug and checked her phone for messages.

“What are you both still doing here?” A voice sliced through the silence inside her room. Both Aubrey and Charlotte looked up and saw Aubrey’s mother by the door, her eye brow raised.

“Um, double checking if I forgot anything?” Aubrey answered hesitantly, she herself not knowing the reason why they were still inside her room.

She heard Charlotte scoff playfully and was the first person to leave the room. “More like quadruple checked it.”

Her mother smiled and grabbed the only luggage left to be placed inside the car. “Let’s go, dear. You do not want to be late for your flight.”

Aubrey smiled and followed her mother down, glancing only once to her bed room that she won’t be sleeping in for a few weeks.

 

Standing in front of the airport, Aubrey felt something hug her waist. She looked down and crouched down to meet her younger brother’s height.

“Do you really have to go Abby?” Little Carter asked with a pout to her.

The brunette laughed and gave the dark haired boy in front of her a quick tight hug. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“But who will take care of you? Momma and I would not be there to take good care of you.”

Feeling her heart swelled through her brother’s words, she held onto his hand and made him look at her. “Remember Harry and the other boys I hang out with a few months back, the boys who played with you all through out the afternoon?”

Carter nodded and smiled as he remembered a fond memory of the five boys his sister was talking about. “What about them?”

“Well they promised momma to take good care of me and Charlie while we are with them for a few weeks.”

“Really?”

“Uh-huh.” She answered with a chuckle before standing up and acknowledged her mother. “Than k you for driving us here, mum.” She smiled and gave her mother a hug.

“That is not a problem, sweetie. Take good care of your self, yeah?”

“Of course. I love you mum.”

“I love you too, dear.”

“Stop that already Aubrey or you’ll bring out the sap within me. It’s just a few weeks not forever. “Charlotte butted in, teasing both her best friend and her best friend’s mother.

Aubrey laughed with her mother before letting go.

“You better go, or you’ll be late.”

“Bye mum!” She finally said and grabbed her luggage walking with Charlotte to the double doors.

“Good bye dear. Take good care both of you!”

“Oh, we will!” Charlotte said with a smile and gave a wave to the two people who sent them off.

“Are you ready for this, Aubrey?”

She grinned and nodded, holding onto her ticket to Los Angeles. “Hell to the yeah”

 

“I could not believe that we are flying through First Class.” Charlotte exclaimed excitedly as we searched for our seats.

“I did try and tell them that we can survive eleven hours in a plane even if we are in Economy class, they won’t listen.” She sighed and pulled Charlotte to the direction where their seats were located.

“I am not complaining though.” The blond gushed as she sat down beside Aubrey. “I can’t wait to see them, after six months of not seeing them.”

Aubrey smiled at that and nodded with agreement. “I miss them so much.”

Knowing they have time to spare, both girls took out their phones and played for awhile. Aubrey went through her Twitter account before sending out a new tweet.

 **@Aubrey_White** : Can’t wait to be in LA with **@WilliamsChar** to spend time with the lads.

The teenager smiled as she read the quick responses of her followers and from her friends.

 **@Louis_Tomlinson** : Can’t wait to see you too **@Aubrey_White .** xx

 **@NiallOfficial:** Been waiting for this day **@WilliamsChar** and **@Aubrey_white.** :)

 **@zaynmalik: @Aubrey_White** we’ll be waiting for you girls. ;) xx

 **@Real_Liam_Payne:** In a few hours, yeah? **@Aubrey_White**

 **@Harrys_Styles:** I miss you **@Aubrey_White** :(

Aubrey can’t help but feel her heart hammering against her chest as she read the last tweet that was sent to her.  She bit her lip as she tried to stop herself from smiling.

Is it even normal to even be reacting this way with one single tweet?

“You fucking look like a creep Aubrey.” Charlotte spoke up all of the sudden, horrified at the way her best friend was smiling like crazy without a reason.

The brunette blinked and stared weirdly at the blond. “Did you just call me a creep?” She asked with disbelief and horror.

The blond smirked and raised an eyebrow. “And what if I did?”

“Just leave me alone you weirdo!” Aubrey countered back and tried to keep a fair distance between them. Doing all of this with a smile.

Charlotte just smiled and rolled her eyes. “Alright, alright I’ll stop.”

_Please fasten your seatbelts; Flight BA3459 is about to take off._

Aubrey’s breath hitched as she instinctively grasps Charlotte’s comforting hand and squeezed it. Flying to one place to another never bothered Aubrey so much. The only downfall of it all is either the plane would be taking off or preparing for landing. She does not like the feeling she feels when it is happening. Her stomach will drop making her want to hurl and she can actually feel the pull of gravity. By this time of the flight, all she can think about are ‘what if’s’.

She slowly relaxed as the elevated higher and higher and Charlotte’s thumb rubbing the back of her hand, comforting her.  Only three out of the people she knows and trust can calm her down during these times. One would be her mother; the other is Charlotte and _him._ With him she would always be calmed. Her thoughts would not even show the worst of all worst. She is simply calm and balanced.

She squeezed her eyes and let the dropping feeling fade away before she opened her eyes and reveal her bright blue eyes.

“It’s over, Aubrey.” Charlotte soothingly whispered, rubbing the back of her hand still.

She then let out a breath she didn’t know she held and smiled weakly at her best friend.  “I am sorry. I know I am too old for this. I am eighteen for goodness sake.”

The blond beside her just laughed and gave her hand a quick comforting squeeze.  “It makes you, you Abby. I completely understand.”

She smiled at her best friend and can’t help but be grateful to have someone like her in her life.

As Charlotte took out her IPod and earphones, Aubrey looked through her carry on grabbed the book she brought with her.  After all, it will take more than ten hours to travel from London to Los Angeles.

 

Both girls stood at the middle of the busy airport, not knowing where to go. They were instructed to just wait for someone to come and collect them to bring them to the hotel.

“I’m confused, how will we know who would be collecting us?” Charlotte asked as she looked around the busy place.

“How stupid can we be?” Aubrey laughed and anxiously bit finger.

“Well I do not really recall both of you being stupid.” A smooth voice spoke up from behind them making both teenagers swirl around and smile widely.

“Zayn!” Charlotte spoke up as the same time with Aubrey who exclaimed, “boys!”

All five members of One Direction stood in front of them grinning widely. Not even wasting another minute between the seven of them, Louis shrieked and exclaimed ‘group hug’ before Aubrey, alongside with Charlotte, was surrounded with five different arms.

She smiled and let the moments like this last. After all, it is not every day you’ll receive a hug from a famous boy band.


	2. Chapter 2

Aubrey smiled as she let the summer breeze of LA caress her skin. She wasn’t really used to the heat. England would never be this warm. Even though she likes to snuggle up with a few layers of clothing and enjoy the crisp air of Cheshire, she liked this; Just standing outside the veranda, the heat of the sun warming her up.

“Beautiful, is it?” Charlotte gushed right beside her. She nodded and turned to look at her best friend. Charlotte’s eyes were closed, chin slightly elevated as she let the sun touch her smooth skin.

“I never though it will be this beautiful. The view is just breathtaking.”

The blond beside her grinned and sat down on a lounge chair, her eyes searching not knowing what she’ll discover. “And we have this villa for the whole two weeks that we will be here.”

Aubrey agreed with a nod and sat beside the blond.

“Will you tell him?”

The question thrown at her direction shocked her. She never expected the turn of events. It was unthinkable that they would not talk about it but she never really thought that it would be this early. “Tell him what?”  She asked backed, pretending she did not understand where Charlotte is getting into.

“About how you feel for him,” she answered, not even unnerved that maybe Aubrey was not still ready.

“I don’t know, maybe but I am not even sure if what I feel for him would last long.”

“You can’t always hide your feelings from him, Aubrey.”

“What if he does know, Charlie? Then he – he would just reject me and hurt me by saying that he can’t return my feelings for him?”

“You will never know.”

“I don’t want to know. I am not even sure if what I feel for him is even true.”

“You are in love with him, Aubrey. You already said that to me.”

“I am not even –”

A knock on the oak door stopped both girls from talking. Charlotte cleared her throat and sent a look at Aubrey’s direction telling her that their talk was far from over. “Come in!”

The door slowly opened and revealed a smiling Harry Styles. “We’ll head out for lunch. Care to join us?”

Both girls exchanged looks and shrugged before standing up. “Sure.”

“Should we change?” Aubrey asked, for the first time she looked up to meet his eyes.

“No need. Both of you would blend in perfectly.” He replied as she stepped aside to make room for the girl as they stepped out of their shared room.

 

 “So what have you girls been up to since we were gone?” Liam asked as they strolled through out the streets of Los Angeles and to look for some decent place they can eat dinner.

“School,” Both girls said at the same time. Aubrey and Charlotte’s attention snapped to each other and glared. “Jinx!” Charlotte said and smirked triumphantly as the brunette pouted and looked away from her.  “Let’s see how long you can last without even saying a word, Aubrey.”

Charlotte then laughed as if she was like a witch and drummed her fingers at the same time. Aubrey looked at her and mockingly schooled her expression into a horrified one.  _How dare you!_ She mouthed and glared at the blonde, making the blonde just laugh and linked her arms with Zayn before skipping away.

Aubrey straightened her posture and raised an eyebrow towards the skipping couple.  _Now isn’t that strange._ Cocking her head to the side, she can’t help but smirk. _Oh this will be fun. Who knew Charlotte has a soft spot for Zayn?_

“You are plotting something.” Harry spoke up beside her as he linked his arm with hers.

Breath hitching from the contact, Aubrey tried her hardest not to acknowledge the warmth he is radiating and that he was so close to her.

She grinned and looked up to Harry and nodded eagerly.

“That can’t be good,” answered Niall who saw and heard the exchanged between the two curly ones. “I shall self-proclaim my self that I should be part of your scheme.”

Aubrey just smiled and mouth ‘ _sure’_ towards the Irish’s direction.

The one who’s her arms are linked with just laughed and shook his head. Some things just never change.

“Wait!” Louis exclaimed and threw his arms at mid air to stop them from what they all are doing. “I found the right place to eat.”

Right in front of them was a shabby little store by the sea. _Seafood_ , she thought and turned the corners of her lips down and agreed.

“Is it safe?” Liam asked, being cautious.  

Louis just rolled his eyes and gave him a blank stare. “Duh, I chose it remember.”

“That only makes my worries heighten, Lou. No offense.”

The Doncaster boy just huffed and crossed his arms across his chest and refused to talk or even look at Liam.

Aubrey was about to speak up when she saw Charlotte, eye brow raised and waited for her to say or utter a single word. She begrudgingly closed her mouth and sent the girl an innocent smile.

“I’m hungry and I don’t care!” Niall spoke up and was the first one to approach the said place.

Louis grinned and stuck out his tongue, childishly, towards Liam and joined Niall, skipping all the way. Liam just sighed and followed the duo.

 

Aubrey just sat there, right beside Harry, with a pout on her lips. While the others were happily talking to each other, she was stuck there not even be able to talk not until Charlotte called out her name. The brunette was too immersed on thinking how she could talk it out with Charlotte, she didn’t see or heard Harry and Lou snickering about her predicament.

“So,” Zayn acknowledged Aubrey and grinned knowingly. “How is university treating you, White?”

She just scowled towards the dark haired boy and then gave him a blank stare as if telling him that how could she possibly answer that question if she is not even allowed to utter a single word.

“Well?” he drawled, with a playful smirk.

Aubrey pouted and elbowed Harry and pointed at Zayn. The curly haired member of the band chuckled and turned to face Zayn. “Continue Zayn. I am actually enjoying a silent Aubrey.”

The only brunette girl in the group gasped with disbelief and glared at her male best friend. If only looks could kill, there will be only four members left in One Direction and Niall would be the youngest.

Charlotte giggled and spoke up, “alright, alright. You can talk and assault Harry with your words, Aubrey.”

Aubrey smiled towards Charlotte then turned back to Harry to glare back at him. The poor boy was about to speak up when she scoffed and turned away from him.

“Ohhh, Harry’s being ignored!” Niall spoke up laughing and teasing the youngest of the band but a few months older than her.

“Oh come on now, Abby bear. Don’t be like that. You know I didn’t mean that.” Harry spoke up, trying to grab the attention of his best friend.  He then bit his lip to stop himself from smiling knowing she’ll give in when he used that name towards her. Let the games begin?

Aubrey’s lip twitched before she turned to look at him and smiled sweetly. “Do not even start with me, Sweet Cheeks.”

Harry smirked knowing she took his bait and moved closer towards her.

Louis groaned out loud and dragged both of his hands down to his face. “They are at it again.”

“What?” Niall asked confused on what Louis was talking about.

“With those disgusting names,” Liam shuddered as he took a huge gulp of water that was given to them earlier.

“I do not even know what you are talking about Honey Buns.”

“Oh I think you do, Baby Lips.”

“Enlighten me then, Munchkins.”

Aubrey tried not shudder on the name Harry just blurted out. She would not lose this one.

“I think – no – I know you already know what I am talking about, Curly Top.”

“Sweet Pea”

“Sugar Pie”

“Honey Pie”

“Bunny buttons”

“Bunny bun buns”

She stopped and stared at Harry. “Seriously, Bunny bun buns? You can come up way better than that!”

“I can’t think of anything else, alright? You won this time but remember White, I’ll always have the last laugh.”

Aubrey grinned and kissed Harry’s cheeks. “Thank you Baby Cakes.”

Despite shuddering, the curly male smiled cheekily at her.

And Aubrey’s heart can’t even help but skip a beat when he did.

“What are your plans this evening?” Liam asked, trying to distract Harry and Aubrey and pay attention to the others.

Charlotte was the very first one to speak up and grin.

“Because I am of age and Louis is too, I suggest clubbing?”

Aubrey rolled her eyes and shook her head. “As much as I want to and I am still not legal here, I’ll just walk around a bit. Will you be joining me Harry?” She turned and faced the male in question.

The curly one just smiled and nodded. “Whatever you want, Aubrey,” he answered in an almost whisper, making her involuntary shiver. And surprisingly it felt good.

“Boo! You can still go in Aubrey! You just don’t like clubs.” Louis spoke up and huffed.

“So Harry is not joining us? You hate clubs now because Aubrey is here?!” Niall spoke up with wide eyes.

“Hey, I actually like clubs,” the Cheshire born retorted. “I just have a best friend to catch up to.” He added, making sure his eyes were locked with hers.

Aubrey slowly smiled as their surroundings starts to blur and it was only the two of them.

Oh Merlin, she was right all along. She is in love with him.

Sadly, he’ll never know.

“Let’s go back to the villa and change after this? I think it’s time for both of us to hit the beach.” He suggested, his arm stretched behind her and resting on her chair.

“Whatever floats your boat, Styles?”

“Hey, what’s that suppose to mean?!”

She chuckled and shook her head, not even noticing his fingers drawing patterns on her shoulder.

 

She missed this.

It was just the both of them. Just walking around the sandy surface of the shore, talking and laughing like good old times.

With university taking up all her time from day in and day out, not even giving her the time to pause for a bit, open her laptop and logged into Skype to spend time with her goofy famous friends. And she knows that Louis, Niall, Liam, Zayn and Harry can’t find time between rehearsals and interviews to stop and say hi to her in front of a laptop. She was fine with that. Charlotte and she understand that. But sometimes she can’t just help but imagine that what if everything was different. That Harry was back at London with her, studying in the university with her and Charlotte.

Because she is who she is, she wouldn’t dare and change anything. If she didn’t push Harry to join the X Factor, she would not meet four amazing guys that dug into her heart and made it their home and got comfortable. She got four more, older brothers that will make her laugh and be there when in need. How could she even say no to that?

She knowingly smiled as she looked out to the sea. She got everything, right? What else could she ask for? But deep down, she knows something is missing. She just could not point it out yet but one day, she will and she’ll fill it up whatever it is missing.

Her breath hitched as she felt a cold damp handful of sand hit her almost bare back as it snapped her back from her train of thoughts. She turned around to the direction where she thought where the sand came from and saw a grinning Harry with a gleam of mirth etched on his eyes.

“Did you just, bloody hit me with wet sand?” she asked with disbelief as she crouched down and grabbed a handful of her own.

It seems like, her best friend is taking advantage to the fact that she was only down to a two piece swimming attire and shorts that made her look a tad bit decent.

The accused boy just smirked and raised and eyebrow. “So what if I did?”

“Do you realize that you just declared sand war between us?” she quirked her eyebrows and grind maliciously towards the boy with mops of curly hair.

“That was my intention, remember?”

With that said out loud, the sand war between the two British teenagers commenced.

After a few minutes of sand being thrown towards each other, loud laughter surrounding them, in the end it was Aubrey who raised the weight flag and sat down directly to the sand.

Chuckling Harry stood in front of her and lend out a hand. “Come on, let’s get you to a bench and get ourselves cleaned up on the way.” 

And so they did. Aubrey playfully pushed her best friend to the side with a laugh as she brushed the remaining sand that was still sticking around her skin.

Almost sand free, she sat down on a bench that was already occupied by an elder woman who was sitting their and reading a book.

“I saw an Ice Cream stand a few steps away from us, do you want some? I can get you one.”

She smiled and nodded eagerly like a five years old child. “Duh, it is ice cream we are talking about, Harry. Of course I would want one.”

The boy in front of her just smiled and shook his head before heading off his way towards the ice cream stand.

“You are quite lucky to have a gentleman as a special someone dear and quite attractive too.” Spoke the older woman beside her, catching her of guard in the process.

“W-who?” she asked, confused on who the elder woman was mentioning.

The elder woman just gave a hearty laugh and smiled warmly at her. “The boy, who offered to buy an ice cream for you.”

Eyes widening with recognition, she raised both of her hands and shook it as she shook her head no. “Oh no, we are just friends.”

The smile from the older woman wavered and was replaced with a frown. “Oh, I am sorry for assuming that you are in a relationship dear. “I just can’t help but watch you two earlier spending time together. For the eyes of an old romantic woman like me, it seems like you and the boy are much in love with each other. I am terribly sorry for accusing you of such.”

Aubrey just gave a small smile and placed a comforting hand on top of the older ones. “I, sometimes wish that we are more than that.”

The older woman smiled sadly and moved her hand to grasp the younger ones. “One day, I am sure that he’ll love you like you love him. I can see it, especially when he looks at you like he does.”

The younger girl blushed and bowed her head to hide her flushed cheeks.

“No need to be shy, dear. Heads up, the young man is coming his way now.”

True to the word from the older lady, the one who they were talking about was fast approaching holding two cones of two different flavours of ice cream. Chocolate and Vanilla ice cream that was dipped on chocolate.

“Here you go, love.” He said, offering the vanilla one towards Aubrey.

Aubrey just smiled and took it from him. “Why thank you, Harry. And my favourite too.”

He just laughed and smiled. “I know.”

She blushed and looked down to her wrist to look at the time, just to hide her flushed cheeks towards him. “Oh look, we better head back. Liam would be worried.”  She then stood up and turned to face the smiling old lady. “It was nice chatting with you.”

“Likewise my dear.” She then smiled warmly and gave her a curt nod. “Remember what I said, child. Don’t lose hope yet.”

Feeling her face heat up for the third time, she gave the old lady one last smile and dragged Harry towards the direction of the resort where their villa was located. The last thing she heard from the lady was a heart laugh at her reaction.

“What was that about?” her companion asked as she slowed down their pace.

“Nothing.” She tucked a lost strand of her hair behind her ear. “It’s nothing.”

She just smiled as Harry placed an arm on her shoulder, pulling her closer to him as he finished off his own cone of ice cream.

Oh, she could only hope as she felt something inside of her flutter as she was engulfed with his warmth. 


	3. Chapter 3

“About time both of you got here.”

Aubrey and Harry were laughing about a lame joke Harry just blurted out when they heard the stern voice of Liam right in front of them.

Aubrey blinked a few times before focusing her attention towards the male in front of her. She grinned sheepishly and clasped her hand behind her back. “We lost track of time. We didn’t realize it was nearing dinner.”

The boy beside her just cocked his head to the side and furrowed his eyebrows. “I thought, you guys were going to hit the club?”

Liam just rolled his eyes and beckoned them to come inside the villa before saying, “I’m not going, Louis, Charlotte and Zayn are the only ones who would head out. And I was actually clear about that being after dinner.”

The curly haired one raised both of his hands, surrendering before going to his room. “Alright, I need to take a shower.”

Aubrey bit her lip and looked at him climb up the spiral glass staircase before he disappeared. She sighed before turning to face Liam. “What?” she asked, as Liam sent her a look she can’t even understand.

“Did you tell him?”

She just glared and closed the door behind her. “I didn’t and I won’t.” She was about to leave to go to the room she was sharing with Charlotte when a comforting hand stopped her by her shoulder.

“Aubrey...” he started softly, trying to reason with the girl.

“No, Liam. This is better. I will not get hurt.” She put on a smile before completely leaving the older boy by the front door. Humming, she went up to her room and grabbed a towel on a table.

 

Frowning, Aubrey looked at two sets of clothing on her bed. She was never like this back at home, well mostly not like this. This is just one of those nights that she can’t decide what to wear. So she stood in front of her bed only wearing her underwear.

It was confusing, really. She doesn’t even know what to wear. Should she pick her usual style that consist of a plane coloured fitted top matched up with skinny jeans and flats or the top with a cute floral pattern matched up with a black skater skirt and sandals. It wasn’t like she was trying to impress someone. She just can’t bloody decide what to wear.

Hearing the door click open and thinking it might be Charlotte she quickly spoke up, “what do you think I should wear, skirt or jeans?” She quickly frowned when she didn’t hear a response. “What’s wro--”

Aubrey right then let out a scream and grabbed the closest garment that could cover her up. “Harry!”

Harry styles just stood there blinking, making her a bit more frustrated at her gawking friend. “Harry Styles!” she nearly screamed as she glared at the boy by the door.

Eyes focusing, Harry’s eyes widened and covered both his eyes with his hand. “I am so sorry, Aubrey. I didn’t mean to...you know. Um that.”

The half naked teenager rolled her eyes and pushed him out of her room. “Too late for that, don’t you think? Out! I’m going to change really quickly.”

She was about to close the door when she heard him chuckle. “A bloke can’t help it Aubrey accident or not. You have quite a figure. Make it quick, we are about to head out.”  Feeling her cheeks flush with heat, she completely closed the door and leaned back against it, fanning herself. Did he just give her a compliment?

Pulling her self together, Aubrey went back to her previous problem before Harry came to the room. She bit her lip and placed a finger by her chin, as she eyes both sets of clothing. “What should I bloody wear?”

Her thoughts went back to Harry and forced herself to remember what he was wearing.  _Was that bastard even wearing casual ones or semi-formal_? She grumbled to herself. She could distinctly remember he was wearing his favourite blue button up shirt. She smiled as she came to a conclusion on what she would be wearing.

She quickly grabbed her floral top and faded skinny jeans.

Right after changing, Aubrey joined the other at the living room with a sheepish smile as she was greeted with glares, narrowed looks and a smirk.

“What the bloody hell took you a long time?” Charlotte snapped at her as soon as she stepped inside the room.

She wasn’t even paying attention to raging blond; her attention was caught by a smirking male with chocolate curls. She glared at his direction and scowled, that still made her beautiful from a certain perspective of a curly haired lad. Not that he’ll admit that out loud. “Wipe that bloody smirk off, Styles.”

The smirk just widened and she instinctively took a step forward towards his direction. “Back to last names, are you now White?” he drawled, challenging her to bite back.

“Maybe we are, Styles.” She replied, her glared not even wavering.

“I’m confused,” Niall innocently sliced through the growing tension in the room. “What had happened?”

Harry and Aubrey gave each other a look before Harry took a few strides to grab Audrey’s arm and linked it with his own. Sharing a look and a smile, both of them replied simultaneously, “nothing.”

With that all of them took the hint that it was time to leave and the little spat between the two was over.

“Honestly, these two are just as frustrating as Louis and Zayn combined.” Someone from the group behind them accidentally blurted out making Harry and Aubrey laugh out loud.

“Hey! We so are not!”

Before the two of them knew it, a sassy looking Louis and a dumbfounded Zayn went pass them.

 

Aubrey closed her eyes and moaned as she tasted the warm sweet delight inside her mouth. She smiled and hummed letting the flavours take her to her own sweet world.

“Did you just moan?” two voices cuts her off from having her own moment alone with the dessert she just ate.

“Did you two just interrupt me?” she frowned towards Harry and Liam’s direction.

Both boys shared a look before going back at staring at her openly, “yes, yes we did.”

She loudly groaned and covered her face with both of her hands before glaring at the two. “Its chocolate fudge brownie topped with vanilla bean ice cream, of course I’ll moan! You boys just don’t understand how I feel right now.”

“Are you depressed?” Liam started, openly showing Aubrey his curious mind was grinding its gears.

“Upset, maybe?” Harry suggested with his eyebrows furrowed.

“No!” she quickly piped in and gave both a glare before huffing back to her dessert.

Both boys snickered and shared a high-five. Unfortunately they were seen by the Irish one in the group.

“Oi, leave Aubrey alone! Let her have her alone time with her sweets.” Niall sniped up and wrapped an arm around Aubrey’s shoulder, letting her know that he was on her side on this one.

“Aw Niall, you are the best.” She gushed and kissed the Irish on his cheeks.

She turned to look back to tease Liam and Harry when she saw Harry stiffen with her gesture. She raised an eyebrow towards the boy with green eyes and tried to calm her fluttering heart.

“Aren’t I, always?” Niall added before going back to his own dessert, even Louis can’t grab his attention this time.

Charlotte placed down her fork and smiled to the others, “so whose going to join me to get wild?”

“I’m in” chirped Zayn and Louis with huge grins.

The blonde girl pouted, “Only you two? What about you, Liam and Niall? I know Harry and Aubrey would spend time together like an old couple.”

“Hey! We are not old!” Harry protested with a frown.

Aubrey blinked and glared at Charlotte. He did not even comment about Charlotte calling them a couple. Cocking her head to the side, she looked at his face and gave out a small smile; he is kind of cute when he frowns. Her eyes widen on what she thought and shook her head. No, she should not think about those kinds of things when it comes to Harry.

“We are not a couple, Lottie.” Aubrey mumbled as she tried not look at his direction.

“Alright, no need to go ‘ _Lottie_ ’ on me. Gosh.” Charlotte grumbled and sent a playful glare towards the brunette girl, which was just a few seats down from her place.

As a reply, Aubrey just batted her eyelashes and sent an innocent smile towards her blonde best friend.

“Niall and I will be the chaperones of the two.” Liam answered with a smile, making sure to kick the blond Irish boy underneath the table. He was clearly not in the mood to be in a place full of people, with loud music and lots of alcohol.

The Irish one looked up from Liam to Charlotte, “we are?”

“You are?!” reacted by Harry and Aubrey as the same time with Niall.

“Yes, we are Niall.” The Wolverhampton boy gave the one who was right across of him a stern look before turning to Harry. “I need to. Both of you are not allowed to roam around this city just the two of you alone. I won’t be shocked if Aubrey comes back crying and pregnant, if I did leave both of you alone,” he added with a snort.

“I do not even like the thought of being pregnant in a young age. No way in hell I’ll throw myself to some stranger’s lap.” Aubrey answered with a shudder of disgust.

“Wait who’s the father?” Harry quirked up a question, confused on what Liam just said.

Liam ignored Harry and smirked at Aubrey. “Did I say it will be a stranger?”

Her eyes widened and gasped in horror. “Liam! How dare you think of such things?”

The boy right across of the one beside her laughed loudly, tears brimming on his eyes.

Charlotte caught on and gasped, mortified on what she heard. “Aubrey, are you sleeping with Harry?!”

“What? No! Not you too Charlie,” Aubrey whined and hid her face with embarrassment. She can’t even look to see the reaction of Harry, right now.

“Wait a minute.” Harry’s deep voice spoke up as he slipped out his words from his mouth slowly. It seems like he is catching on. “Are you trying to say, you are afraid I’ll give you cooties or whatever you call that, Aubrey?!” Or not.

The poor brunette girl groaned out loud and sank lower on her seat. “Of course not, Harry! I, freaking stay close to you for Merlin’s sake! And it is the other way around!”

Louis on the other hand scrunched up his nose and looked at Harry, “I thought girls give boys cooties not the other way around.”

“I don’t know. I am confused myself.” The Cheshire boy answered with a huff and a pout.

Aubrey once more let out a loud groan and rolled her eyes before sitting up straight. “Alright, alright, Liam would be chaperoning me and Harry with Niall.”

Liam just smirked and nodded. “I’ll gladly accept your offer, Aubrey.”

Her glared towards Liam just intensified when she realised what he just did. “You,” she shakily pointed out at his direction, “manipulative bastard!”

Liam just gave a shrug with a triumphant smirk.  “Love you, too Aubrey.”

Aubrey in return just pouted and crossed her arms across her chest, “When you did even become mean to me, Lee-yum?”

Before Liam could even answer, Harry spoke up and grabbed Aubrey’s hand on the table and smiled warmly at her. “Don’t worry, Aubrey. We’ll get our alone time. I promise you that.”

Her breath hitched when she felt a jolt of energy came up to her arm from her hand, where he touched her. He did he feel that too? Are her feelings for him really deep? Does this even mean anything?

If only she could take her hand and not raise any suspicious thoughts in Harry’s mind, she would do it. The feeling of his hand holding onto hers is too overwhelming for her. But she can’t. He’ll wonder why she took her hand from him. He’ll be hurt. She doesn’t want him hurt. Stupid she knows but she can’t help it. Instead, she smiled and placed another hand on top of his own and gave him a reassuring squeeze. “I’ll keep that in mind, Harry.”

As they smiled at each other, the two of them didn’t even heard what Charlotte said.

“Forget about being an old couple! Look at that! Bloody, love sick teenagers I tell you!”

 

Pulling the leather jacket, Liam lent her, closer to her frame; Aubrey looked up to the sky and smiled. “It’s a beautiful night, tonight.” Knowing all three boys were doing the same, she quickly grabbed her phone and took a picture, ignoring the fact that there was a flash.

“What was that?” Niall asked as he looked back at her.

She just smiled and showed Niall her Instagram, “For this.”

The boy from Mullingar just chuckled and looked up again to admire the sky full of stars.

Aubrey fumbled through her phone and tapped in her caption.

_‘Under the light of a thousand stars’_

“Uh, guys?” Aubrey called out, suddenly craving for a certain food. She looked around if there is even a close place that has it.

“Hmmm?”

“I want some yogurt with any kind of berries available.”

A chuckle, a shake in the head and a huge smile was the reply from the three boys that is right in front of her.

“Please, I am literally craving for it right now. “

Liam patted her head, Niall linked is arm with hers and Harry grabbed her free hand with a smile. “Just because you asked nicely, we’ll give in.” Liam added, wiggling his eyes brows.

“Aw, thank you boys. Ya’ll the best!” She said, her attempt to speak using an American accent failing miserably.  “And I actually saw a yogurt place just around the corner. Preston is still around, right? Stalking us like a creep?”

“He is actually right behind us, Abby.” Niall whispered his answer by her ear with a chuckle.

Her eyes widened and looked backed. She smiled sheepishly as she saw Preston himself walking a few feet away from them with raised eyebrows. “You heard that didn’t you?” she asked him with a sigh. Preston just laughed and waved her off. “Yup, he did alright.” She mumbled to herself.

Enjoying the silence that engulfs the group, Aubrey took a deep breath and inhaled through her nose, a smile still etched on her face.

“Hey Abby, I’ll join Liam for a sec. He actually looks like a lost kid walking alone.” Niall said all of the sudden with a laugh before catching up with the older boy just a few steps ahead of them.

She nodded with a smile while Harry chuckled. She briefly closed her eyes as she felt him tug her closer towards him, his arm now hung on her shoulders. His hand that was by her collarbone still holding onto her hand, making her fold her hand to her chest. With their close proximity, she can’t help but take in his scent; the hint of Cedar wood and lavender invading her senses.

Harry buried his nose on her hair and tried to inhale her scent, memorising her. “I missed you.” He mumbled, finally.

Her breath hitched as she heard his words. It amazed her to no end that with his simple words, he can make her melt, warm and somehow loved at the same time. She smiled, slightly pulling back to look up to him. “Why say now? You had the chance this afternoon or when we arrived but you didn’t.”

He just smiled and rubbed the pad of his thumb on the back of her hand. “It wasn’t the right time.”

“And this is?”

Aubrey laughed as he just whined and gave her an adorable pout.

“Just tell me you feel the same way.”

She bit her lip, wishing that there was a different meaning of his words. That he actually feels the same towards her. That he actually returns her feelings.

She smiled and solemnly nodded before saying, “I missed you too.” 

His smile was breathtaking and she felt herself falling for him all over again.

“Come on, love birds. Hurry up, we’re here.”

 

With wide eyes, Aubrey selfishly took her cup full of yogurt and berries from Niall and devoured it. She slowly closed her eyes and momentarily forgot that she was joined by three other boys. They sat there, silently, eating their yogurts.

“You know, I realized something.” Niall spoke up, as he scooped another spoonful of yogurt and ate it.

Aubrey opened her eyes and raised an eyebrow towards the Irish lad. “Continue.” She drawled, taking another bite.

“A lot of girls like Liam but there are boys, too.” The one who looked most innocent from all of them continued without thinking what he was actually saying.

Aubrey looked over Liam and nodded in agreement, making Harry laugh out loud and Liam to choke on his yogurt. “I tell you, it’s the biceps and abs.”

“Nah, it’s the birthmark.” Harry commented, earning a glare from the oldest boy in their table.

“It’s his bossiness really. It signifies dominance and boys that like him, like those kinds of things in a guy.”

“Niall!” Liam exclaimed with disbelief.

Niall looked at him and gave him a shrug, “but it’s the truth!”

“Niall never lies. If Harry said that, then he might be lying but it is Niall we are talking about, Liam.”

“Hey!” Harry spoke up, feeling offended with the brunette’s statement. “I do not lie. Lying is bad.”

“Uh-huh. Keep talking, Styles.” Aubrey nonchalantly replied while wiggling his brows at Liam.

The curly one just pouted and crossed his arms across his chest, his yogurt completely forgotten. “What did I ever done to you?”

Liam on the other hand gave both Niall and Aubrey a blank look. “Boys do not like me. If its Harry’s case, yes it is but me? No to the way.”

Harry just grinned and nodded eagerly. “Well, who wouldn’t say no to this?” he spoke up, his hands showing himself off.

“I do.” Aubrey muttered underneath her breath. 

Liam choked on what he accidently heard making Niall’s eyes widen with concern. He quickly and roughly patted the back of the choking boy to help him, or was trying to, really.

“Did you say something, Aubrey? It is rude to eat your words you know or talking under your breath.” Harry asked, genuinely curious on what his best friend has to say.

“Nothing,” She quickly replied with a nervous smile.

All three heads snapped up when they heard someone cleared his throat.

Aubrey smiled widely as she saw Preston standing there with a nervous smile, while Niall and Harry were eyeing the folded paper, their bodyguard was holding. Liam on the other hand looked around and frowned. “Is it time to go?”

“Preston, do you need anything? I can buy you another cup of yogurt if you like.” Aubrey spoke up, when she didn’t think something was wrong with the man in front of them.

“Uh,” Preston spoke up, rubbing the back of his neck before he continued, “someone wants this to give to you, Liam.” He then handed the folded paper to Liam.

Hesitantly, Liam took the paper and unfolded it. He tried to read what was written when his eyes suddenly widened. “W-who gave you this?”

Preston bit his lip and slightly turned his body to reveal a dashing boy, a few tables down from them, who gave Liam a wave and a wink.

His other companion gasped, Niall taking the paper from his reach. “Oh my god, he gave you his number!”

“Damn Liam! He is bloody fit and oh so handsome.” Aubrey gushed, eyeing the teenager who just waved at her friend.

He can’t even talk. Liam Payne was speechless and blushing madly in front of his close friends, and his bodyguard. Embarrassed is just an understatement.

Snickering, Harry, Aubrey and Niall, shared a look before grinning widely.

“Gay magnet!”


	4. Chapter 4

Aubrey eyed warily the villa’s double slide door, she was still wide awake, her eyes and brain not completely adjusted with the time difference of England and Los Angeles.  
“Can’t we stay, here? Please? I’m widely awake and I don’t want to take up with a drunken Charlotte in my wake.” She whined, trying to pull Harry and Liam away from the door’s direction. 

Liam gave her a stern look and pulled her closer towards the door’s direction. 

“Harry, please? You love me, remember? Please?” she pleaded, letting go of Liam and grasp Harry’s free hand, making him turn and look at her. Upon doing so, she quickly formed a pout and batted her lashes. Evilly thinking that he would eventually give in; he always gives in. 

The struggling boy tried not to meet her eyes and sighed, stifling a yawn. “But I’m tired, Aubrey.” 

The girl huffed and crossed both of her arms across her chest, before begrudgingly followed the retreating boys. 

Instead of completely following the boys towards the stairs to retreat into their shared bedroom with the others, Aubrey walked towards the outdoor living room and sat down on a bed like seat that was full of plush pillows. 

She looked out of the open space and smiled as she saw the magnificent view her spot can offer. She was hugged by relaxing sounds of the waves and crickets. She breathed in the cool night air and exhaled all of her tightness and hardness away. 

After a tiring day, she just sat there and let her self relax and enjoy the silence that she didn’t know she actually missed. 

Slightly opening her eyes, she felt the soft breeze and the waves of the ocean slowly lulling her to sleep. At least sleep was catching up on her. Not wanting to sleep outside and have mosquito bites when she wakes up the next morning, Aubrey stood up and retreated towards the room she is sharing with Charlotte. 

With a habit of drifting off from her thoughts when she walks, Aubrey almost tripped over a shoe that was just sitting her. She frowned and furrowed her eyebrows. Just a day here and she finds this particular hallway already messy. The hallway was littered with different sets of clothing and shoes, as if someone was stripping off on the way to his room. 

Picking up a familiar shirt, she frowned and started to grab all the discarded clothing on the floor, not realizing it trailed down to her room’s direction. She stood up straight and was about to grasp the doorknob when she heard a feminine moan behind the closed door she was facing. 

Eyes widening with recognition, her eyes trailed down to the pile of clothing she was holding. It all finally clicked, shoes she tripped on were owned by Charlotte and the shirt was owned by Zayn. She gasped and dropped the pile on the floor as she heard a grunt and a moan. 

She slowly backed away and walked towards the room she knows that would be vacant for one more, knowing the other occupant of the room was in her room.  
She knocked on the door and prayed that the one who was staying there was still awake. She bit her lip trying not to shudder, as sexual images of both of her friends entered her mind. She knew that something was a bit off with Charlotte and Zayn earlier; she just didn’t thought about them having a sexual relationship at all. Who would even bloody think that those two were actually shagging each other’s wits off? 

“Aubrey?” a surprised voice spoke up, cutting through her train of thoughts. 

She blinked and sighed in relief as she let herself into the dimly lit room. It seemed like he was just preparing to sleep.  
“What’s wrong?”

She didn’t answer him for a moment and stared at the only bed in the room. She knew that Zayn and Harry was fond of sharing only one bed, but she never realized that this room will only have one huge bed. It will do. It wasn’t like they haven’t sleep on a same bed before. They always do that when they were younger when they have a movie. 

She turned around to face a half naked Harry. Automatically blushing with the sight, she covered both of her eyes with her hand. “Can you throw on a shirt or something?”  
“This is how I sleep, Aubrey. And you already daw me without a shirt on.” The boy answered not even concerned as he threw himself on his bed.  
“Well, there is a difference between without a shirt on and half naked, Harry.”

“It is still the same Aubrey and I already saw you half naked. It seems fair, don’t you think?”

“You’re insufferable.”

“I know. That’s why you love me, remember?”

Trying to ignore how his words made her stomach churn, she glared at the boy, crossing both of her arms across her chest. 

The boy in front of her sighed but didn’t give in to her wishes. Why would she even care though? So what if he is bloody half naked? It is not like they would cuddle up in the same bed. It is only for tonight for Christ’s sake. 

“Why are you here, again?”

She blushed brightly when she remembered why she was here at the very first place. “Well, I need a room to sleep in.” She reasoned, not liking the idea of telling Harry what she heard and thankfully not witnessed. 

“You have a fully functioning room two doors down from here, Aubrey.” 

She rolled her eyes and huffed down to the bed right beside him. 

“It’s preoccupied right now. Are you not even wondering where Zayn is and why I chose this room?” 

“No shit. Seriously?” Harry spoke up, facing her with wide eyes. 

She sadly nodded, trying not to picture out the compromising position both her friends are in. 

“You can sleep here anytime, Aubrey. I actually like that idea.” He spoke up and grinned.

She smiled and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him. “Thank you, so much.” She quickly pulled away and smiled shyly. “One problem, though.”

The boy by her side frowned and looked at her with concern. “What’s wrong?”

She bit her lip and fiddled with her fingers. “Um, I don’t have anything to wear. I don’t have the guts to interrupt them to grab something and go back here. It would be awkward and I don’t want to see a naked Charlotte or a lot worse a naked Zayn Malik. My innocence would be gone by that and I’ll be scarred for life. I don’t want that. I don’t bloody-”

The boy just chuckled and held onto her shoulders, trying to grab her attention. “Aubrey, stop. You can borrow a shirt of mine.” 

“Can I choose?”

His chuckled grew louder and nodded. “Anything you want, Aubrey.”

The girl smiled widely and opened the closet where all Harry’s clothes, which he brought with him for the vacation, was placed. She bit her lip and trailed her fingers against the fabric of each hanged button up shirt. She frowned not knowing what to choose. She closed the closet door and turned to face her best friend who was watching her from the bed.

“Where is the shirt you changed into before you stripped off for bed?”

Harry raised an eyebrow and pointed at the discarded shirt that was hanging on the arm of a chair. She smiled and grabbed it before sauntering towards his bathroom door. 

She stared at her reflection on the mirror, and sighed. She wasn’t really the type of girl that everyone called “stunning” or “beautiful”. Yes, she look less than that but never ugly. She was just plain. Her hair can be as moody as a sea. Sometimes it would fall down to her back in gentle waves; sometimes her curls are just wilder than necessary.  
Shaking her head, she quickly slipped off her skinny jeans and floral top. She stood there in front of the mirror, her fingers gathering her hair into a high messy pony tail only clad with her underwear and Harry’s worn shirt. She smiled as his musky scent engulfs her. Looking around the glass shelves, she almost shrieked with delight when she saw an extra toothbrush. 

After brushing her teeth, she slowly took her time in removing her makeup before stepping out of the bathroom and into the dimly lit room of Harry. He was already in the bed, his attention glued to the phone in his hands. 

Aubrey looked at her herself for the last time, unconsciously tugging his shirt down a bit more. With a deep breath, she slowly went o the other side of the bed and crawled in, making her companion look at her and smile. 

“You look thoroughly shagged.”

She rolled her eyes and tugged the covers to cover her exposed skin. “Yeah, leave your best friend to say something obscene.”

The young man right beside her just laughed and turned his body to face her. “I thought you’ll get used to it.”

She playfully glared at his direction and placed a pillow in between them, not explaining why she did so. “I’m still trying, Styles. Stop taking my innocence from me!”  
“Please do explain why there is a pillow between us.” He spoke up, ignoring what she just said and referred to the pillow with his right hand. 

The brunette girl on the bed beamed proudly and smugly towards the boy just right beside her. 

“Well, it servers as a barrier you see. It keeps me from in contact with you. I have had recent conclusions that whenever you touch me or talk to me – obscenely, if I could add – you would another piece of my innocence with you. Hence, this pillow will protect me from you and if you ever try to take it, then I’ll have no choice but to kick your arse into oblivion.” 

The boy with curls blinked as he tried to digest everything that she just said in one breath. “A bit dramatic, don’t you think?”

She just gasped in disbelief when she heard what her best friend can say. 

“How dare you! I am not dramatic.”

“Ah, yes! Melodramatic then?”

“Harry!”

“Aubrey?”

“Styles.” She growled, slowly changing her stance, as if a predator was preparing to attack its prey. 

“Yes, White?”

“Shut up.”

“Gladly.”

She then released a smiled and leaned in, her chest nearing the boundary of his side of the bed. “Good night, Harry.” She whispered by his ear and gave his cheek a lingering kiss. 

Before he can even react, Aubrey quickly went to her side and turned to face the window. She closed her eyes and tried to even out her breathing. She unconsciously smiled as she let her thoughts drift from the events that happened this day. 

She can still remember everything, the boys meeting them in the airport, Louis choosing their lunch, her walk by the beach with Harry, the old lady, Harry barging into her room while she was still half-naked, the teasing during dinner, the walk towards the yogurt shop and of course the moment when she realized what lied behind the closed door of her shared room with Charlotte.

When she was already in the brink of sleep, she hazily saw a shadow towering her, a hand brushing away the hair that hid her face and the feeling of firm lips against her temple as he whispered good night. 

She was too drunk with sleep, she didn’t have the strength to open her eyes and see who it was. She knows one thing though; the kiss and the warm whisper filled her chest with pleasuring warmth. 

And she slept, she slept dreamlessly and deeply.

 

An almost feminine shriek made Aubrey abruptly wake up. She groaned as she felt herself being pressed against something warm. Confused, she slowly pried her eyes open and the first one she saw in her line of sight was short chocolate curls by her shoulder. It seemed like; both she and Harry found themselves tangled up with each other while sleeping. Heat pushed up to her cheeks when she felt, him nuzzle his nose deeper by her throat. 

“Harry Edward Styles!” A loud voice cut through the room she was in making her slightly wince. 

She closed her eyes once more and pretended to sleep. It was too early to be woken up. She actually liked being in his arms. The pillow that was being their barricade the night before was nowhere to be found. 

As a reply to the loud voice that woke Aubrey, the boy pressed against her let out a loud groan as he pulled her closer to his warm frame. 

“Leave us, alone.” He grumbled and his voice deeper than necessary. 

Her breath hitched as she felt his hot breath fan the exposed skin of her throat. 

“You open your eyes right now, Harry Styles. And don’t bloody pretend you are asleep Aubrey! Both of you have explaining to do!” Aubrey recognized that voice anywhere. Liam was the one waking them up and demanding an explanation from both of them. 

She let out a sigh and made a move to try to pry off Harry’s arm from her waist. 

“Don’t you dare do what I think you are doing Aubrey,” Harry whispered, pulling her even closer if it was possible. “If you leave and kick the covers off, Liam and Louis would see the obvious bulge I adore, right now.” 

Her eyes widen as she stared at him with disbelief. “Seriously?” She whispered, trying not to peek under the covers that were covering their lower extremities.  
He simply shook his head and grinned before whispering back his answer. “Nah, I’m joking. Don’t leave yet though. I don’t want to face reality that is disguised by the faces Louis and Liam.”

She gave him a playfully glare, slightly pushing off with just a finger by his shoulders. “Early in the morning and you are already like that?” She whispered once again, shaking her head with mirth. 

“Just for you, love.” He answered back. Their voices becoming like hushed whispered in a library. 

“A simple good morning would suffice, you know.” 

He smiled and gave the corner of her mouth a quick peck. From a far it would like his lip actually touched hers, making both boys by the door nearly go ballistics. “Good morning.”

And Aubrey literally thought she would melt right in front of him. 

A loud cough interrupted the two, making them look up.

“Aubrey, get out of that bed this instant.” Liam sternly ordered, while Louis just gaped at both of them.

“No, Liam. It is not like something happened last night.”

“No shit! Both of you slept together? Was Harry good? So that was what I was hearing last night!” Louis spoke up with a girlish squeal. 

Harry rolled his eyes and let go of her before sitting up straight, scratching the side of his bare chest. “Something happened last night,” he started with a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, “but not between Aubrey and I. There is actually a reason why Aubrey is here, alright?” 

Seeing a look from Liam, that demanded explanation, he continued, “Aubrey can’t just barge inside her room last night. Especially when she can hear moans and grunts behind it. She came to me, because she actually knows who the two people behind the closed door are and she knows that I am missing one bed mate.”

“Doesn’t explain why both of you are whispering like idiots and were kissing.” Liam interjected, trying to find fault from the two. 

“We didn’t kiss.” Aubrey spoke up, shaking away the feeling of disappointment when she lost contact with Harry’s warmth. “Alright, Harry kissed me but not on the freaking mouth. I would never let him and you know that!” 

Liam let out a breath of relief while Louis let out a disappointed one. Given a stony glare from the brunette female on the bed, both boys by the door slowly retreated and closed the door. 

“So, this means we need to get up too?” Harry asked with a whine. 

She just nodded in response, crawling out of the bed and grabbed the hair tie by the floor to pull her hair into a ponytail. “Come on, I think Liam prepared breakfast.”

“You mean a bowl of cereals and milk? Yes, I think he really did prepare breakfast for us.” Harry sarcastically drawled.

When her companion placed one foot on the floor, they heard the shrill voice of Louis Tomlinson that rang throughout the hallway and into the rooms. 

“Zayn and Charlotte fucked last night?!” 

Both just exchanged looks and laughed, falling back to the bed.


	5. Chapter 5

For the first time since the group arrived for the vacation, breakfast was a silent affair. Louis was wearily looking at Harry and Aubrey, Liam was sternly staring down at his own bowl of cereals, Niall was happily devouring his breakfast, Harry was quietly exchanging knowing looks with Aubrey, and Zayn was cheekily smiling at Charlotte who was biting her lower lip.

Unconsciously, Aubrey was just waiting for someone to actually break the silence that hugged their atmosphere.  If she can listen intently for a few seconds, she would actually hear the ticking of the clock from the wall at the far side of the kitchen. She took one last spoon full of her cereal before pushing the bowl away from her.

“So,” she started and dragged on, looking at everyone with one glance.

With one word uttered, all hell broke loose.

 “I can’t fucking believe it, I actually hoped—”

 “—could bloody know—”

“—can’t we even do that—“

“—together for Christ’s sakes—“

“—thought you guys were dating—“

“—don’t understand what—“

“—long did this thing between you—“

“—could you say something—“

“—can we please—” she tried butting in.

“—he would not wake me up early—“

“—now it’s my—“

“—not what it looks likes—“

“—scream like a girl—“

“—admit your feelings with each—“

“—excuse me, can we just—“

“—way I would say such th—“

“—hell just froze over—“

“—not even coherent in our—“

“—are we supposed to do? Just talk our feelings—“

“—better than mating like bunnies—“

“—we didn’t mate like—“

“—was understandable—“

 

Aubrey slowly massaged her temples with both of her index and middle fingers from both hands as she tried to block out the noise, she didn’t expect to erupt when she uttered a single word. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. _Here goes nothing._

“Will all of you just bloody shut up for a second?” She yelled, trying to calm her nerves down. As silence descended once again in the room, she smiled and nodded. “Thank you. Now, who would like to talk first?”

Everyone aside from Aubrey exchanged looks and at the same time raised their hands. She sighed and tried to formulate a plan to have a peaceful breakfast.

“Alright, let’s start with Liam and the rest goes on.”

The mentioned boy cleared his throat and stretched his fingers on the table.

“I am deeply shocked on Charlotte’s taste when it comes to men.”

The blonde girl just rolled her eyes and waved off the Wolverhampton local. Zayn, on the other hand, gasped in mock disbelief and placed his hands to his chest as if he was offended.

“Her taste when it comes to men is admirable.” He said, giving Liam a playful glare.

“You just say that because she chose to fuck you, Zayn.” Harry mumbled, earning a smack from the raven haired singer.

“I’ve been fucking her since she bloody said yes to me, alright?” Zayn grumbled, pulling the blonde girl by his side closer than before.

Aubrey gasped and stared at Charlotte blankly. “I could not believe you hid this from me!”

The other female of the group just smiled sheepishly and raised both of her shoulders at her, “Believe it or not, I actually tried telling you.”

“Whatever,” she replied before sticking her tongue out towards Charlotte’s direction.  The blonde just laughed, she already knows they were in good terms. She knows she does.

She then turned to the one beside Liam, and that was Louis. She raised her eyebrows, waiting for Louis to open his mouth and speak.

“I actually thought you and Harry are you know.” He mumbled, his eyes cast downward on his hand on his lap, suddenly fascinated with the hem of his white sleeveless top.

“What?” Harry asked, intrigued on what his best mate would say after he heard his name, being mentioned.

“Dating,” the older boy mumbled, actually scared on how both of his friends would react.

Her eye twitched after Louis mumbled out the answer of Harry’s question. First it was Charlotte, then Liam, the old lady and now Louis. Is her affection towards the one on her right so obvious? She knows that everybody can read her like an open book. She tried not to think about Harry even reading her actions towards him and think the unquestionable. She made sure that he wouldn’t know about her feelings for him. As wrong as it may sound, she isn’t ready to be rejected and to be hurt. She was not known to be taking a huge risk, especially when it comes to treasured friendships.

“She is my best friend Louis,” the one beside her spoke up with a long sigh.

Best friends. See, that’s only what he sees when it comes to her. For him, she will always be his best friend. Who in the right mind would fall in love with someone like her? She was what the other girls might say as ‘plain Jane.’

Her blue, almost greyish eyes were the only thing she liked about her physical attributes. Yes, she does have the right curves, just the right size of breasts, an admirable backside but it wasn’t enough to make men line up for her. Her hair was a dangerous territory for a start. She is actually glad that for a few days, her hair was manageable.

Why would men even waste their time on her? She can’t even wear three inches heels properly. She would actually look awkward when she is forced to wear one.  Aside from heels, she wasn’t comfortable showing any skin like other girls.

It isn’t like she has a low self esteem or too insecure. She just doesn’t have the confidence like the other girls. They actually wear confidence like a perfume.

If other boys or men don’t even bother sending her a single glance, why would her best friend be different? And she gets the whole idea. She warmly hugged the thought that he will never be more than that. Even though it hurts, she understands.

She isn’t like Charlotte, or any other girl. She is too different from them and sometimes she can’t help but feel envy towards her best girl friend. Zayn liking Charlotte more than a friend should already speaks volumes. Charlotte’s beauty is admirable. And guiltily, she is jealous of that.

She abruptly stood up from her seat and left the room, shocking everyone inside the room. Louis’ eyes widened as he watched the brunette with curls walk out on them and his lip quivered. “This is my entire fault. I should have not said a thing.”

Harry on the other hand just shook his head and smiled at Louis. “No it’s not Louis. Don’t blame yourself. You didn’t know she would react that way. I’ll talk to her, alright?”

Seeing Louis sadly nod, he left.

Once the youngest of the boys was completely gone, Charlotte spoke up and reached out for Louis’ hand. “Don’t worry Lou. You are not alone in this.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, looking up to face Charlotte and the others.

Niall grinned and clasped his hand on Lou’s shoulder. “We also think that they are in love with each other.”

Liam shook his head and smiled warmly at the oldest. “They are in too deep, Lou. All of us can see that except them. I know Aubrey already acknowledged it. Harry is quite stubborn and you know it.”

“And I bet, by the end of the vacation, Harry wouldn’t or couldn’t hold it any longer. You know how he is when we are away. It’s like half of him is ripped away,” Zayn added.

And Louis can’t help but agree.

 

She left for the outdoor living room where she stayed last night before going to bed. She could not believe that she just did that. It made it look like she was affected with Harry’s words. Which, sadly she is. She didn’t know it would make a huge impact on her. She made it her mission not be affected when it comes to Harry but she failed. She actually failed.

She would not cry though. Why would she? It wasn’t like his intentions were to hurt her. He doesn’t know about her feelings, or that is what she would like to believe in. She closed her eyes and held herself as she stood there, the wind dancing against her frame.

She didn’t even dare to move from her spot. She knows he is just behind her. She would always know. She sighed and looked out at the blue sky. She bit her lip as she tried her best not to turn around and face him. She is too humiliated to even face him.  Now he knows her secret.

“Aubrey.”

Her breath hitched when she heard his voice. It sounded desperate and deep. She closed her eyes a few seconds and tried to calm her thumping heart and quick breathes. Slightly calmed down from her mental breakdown, she turned around to face him.

She instinctively took a step back as she saw him. He looked breathtaking. He was standing by the opened archway, both of his hands tucked on his jean pockets, his mouth formed a slight frown, his eyebrows scrunched up together, and his eyes – Merlin his eyes were showing concern and it made her want to kiss his concerns away. But she can’t. She would never have the chance to do that.

With the way he looked at her, it was like he is daring her to make him leave, to leave her alone. And that is what she wants at the moment; to be alone with her raging thoughts. She scolded herself knowing that deep down; she does want him to stay. To keep her from drowning as she lets her thoughts overcome her.

“Leave me alone, Harry.” She said but her voice betrayed her. Now, he would be more determined than before to stay and talk to her, to ask her.

And she predicted, he was still there but now looking at her sternly. “Louis did not mean that, you know. I know you don’t like the idea of us being described as a couple but he didn’t mean that one.”

She closed her eyes and tried to ignore his presence and his words. If only she could just snap at him and tell him everything. She’ll tell him everything, she won’t be hiding anymore but she would never find herself from doing that.

_Of course, I like us being together more than what we have now. I walked out not because of him but because of you. You are the reason why I left Harry. You will never understand. I love you. I am deeply in love with you. And it hurts knowing that you will never see me like how I see you._

She wanted to say, scream at him even.

“I know.” She said instead with a weak smile.

Then he smiled the smile that would always make her heart flutter and her knees weak.

“If you like us to be dating, all you have to do is ask, Aubrey. I wouldn’t mind.” He jokingly said with a playful wink.

He doesn’t mean it. He is just trying to cheer her up. He would never date her. He doesn’t share the feelings that she has towards him. So, she rolled her eyes and took a sit on the bed that she almost fell asleep on last night.

“Keep dreaming, Styles. You are not my type.”  She scoffed and hugged a plush pillow. She looked up at him and her chest lurched when he was his smile waver, his eyes shined with an unknown emotion she can’t read, when she said it but quickly covered up with a smirk.

“Whatever you say, Aubrey.” He said like his change in demeanour awhile ago never happened.


	6. Chapter 6

 

Aubrey watched from afar as her friends take their vacation outside the villa for once. She smiled at the view of Charlotte and Zayn chasing each other. She sighed and looked away, their love for each other was clear to see even when she was meters away from them.

She walked back inside the place they would be calling home for two weeks. She passed through the living room, not seeing someone went down the spiral stare case, and went inside the kitchen. Remembering Liam buying her a few pints of ice cream, she automatically opened the freezer to search for a pint of Chocolate Peppermint ice cream.

Not even bothering to transfer scoops of ice cream in a glass, she opened the pint and took a spoon before she settled down on the bar stool of the breakfast bar. She looked out of the window and stared at the blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds.

Taking her first spoonful of the creamy ice cream, she closed her eyes and let her imagine that she found love here. She can’t continue though and she opened her eyes. She can’t imagine a future with love without picturing Harry in it.

Just thinking about him and love in the same equation made her chest clench and hollow with pain. It wasn’t possible for him to see her more than what they have now. The girls he dated weren’t even close to her physique. They are a walking and living Barbie. They were perfect from a strand of their hair to their blemish free skin.

“Aubrey?”

Her head snapped up and turned at the doorway. There he was, the man who always clouds up her thoughts, standing in front of her in his bright yellow swimming trunks. “Harry, I though you were outside with the others.” She cleared her throat and tried not to rake her eyes on his fit figure.

“I am about to join them,” he said as he approached her.

Aubrey literally felt like the temperature in the room increase.

He grinned at her and took the spoon from her and took a spoonful for himself. “Are you not going to join us?”

She blinked as she watched him lick his lips for excess ice cream on his rosy lips. She bit her lip, wanting to know how it felt to be touched by him and how good his tongue works when it comes to pleasuring a woman.

She averted her eyes, can’t even look at him when she thought of such obscene things. She took the spoon from him and shook her head, no. “I am not really in the mood to be outside right now.”

“Is something wrong?” he asked her, genuinely concerned.

She shook her head and looked up to meet his eyes. “I’m fine,” she replied, giving him a hesitant small smile. After all, it only takes her to smile up to him and he would think she was truly okay. Smiles should be convincing though and it is a bit harder to do that for the past few days.

He narrowed his eyes towards her, making her nervous. What if he doesn’t buy it this time? What if he sees through her this time? Will he ask questions and push her to her limit? He wouldn’t dare, though. She knows him and he respects the privacy of others.

She heard him and gave her a subtle nod. “Alright then.” He turned around and retreated back to the living room. He only looked back once at her before sighing and decides to join the others.

She released her breath that she didn’t even know she was holding when he was with her and took a spoonful of ice cream.

She is not pushing him away, she convinced herself. She is just distancing herself from the possibility of getting hurt by him. But it was still the same. She knows that in order to distance herself, she needs to push him away. She doesn’t even think of the possibility that she might be the one who was hurting someone in the process.

She closed her eyes and tried not think about the sudden deep hole that formed in her chest. The more she distances herself though, the more hollow and deep her anguish feels. She groaned and clutched her chest, trying to make the feeling go away. She capped the pint close and returned it to the freezer. She left to the villa’s porch, right after she washed the spoon they both shared.

She sat down on the wooden hanging chair and pulled the pillow, she grabbed, into her chest as she watched them playing around the water.

“You all right, baby girl?” Preston spoke up as he sat down next to her.

She looked up to the man and shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. They look so...happy.” She hesitantly whispered, watching Zayn hug Charlotte from behind as they looked out to the sea. “I should not feel any envy for the both of them because they are my closest friends but I do. I do feel envious because they found love with each other, even though both of them are too stubborn to admit it. And there is Harry...” She trailed off, her eyes now following the singer’s every move.

She sighed and looked up to see Preston smiling at her softly. “Does it hurt?”

She bit her lip as a sudden jolt of emotions rushed to her cheeks and tears suddenly welled up. She closed her eyes and tried to keep her emotions at bay. What is it with Harry and making her cry? It had always been like this. He affected her too much. When they fight, she will always leave in tears and now she wants to cry because of him.

She tried to clear her mind from him yet failed when tears broke down as she felt Preston wrap his arms around her. “Just let it all out princess. Just let it all out.” He whispered against her hair as he rocked her. With a heart breaking sob, she did.

She doesn’t even know why she is crying. She doesn’t even want to know the reason. She was never like this. She was composed and in control of her emotions. As much as she wants to despise the reason why she is like this, she can’t. Charlotte and Liam were right. She is in love with him and sadly, she is in too deep.

With Preston there to comfort her, letting her cry in his fatherly arms, she let her emotions show. She will cry now and laugh tomorrow, the day after that, and hopefully for the rest of the vacation.

“I hate it,” she mumbled, both of her hands covering her face. “I hate feeling this way. Of all people I can fall in love with, fate chose it would be someone unattainable.”

“Harry isn’t unattainable Aubrey.” Preston softly disagreed with her, not liking her pessimistic way of thinking.

“He is though. He likes girls that are far from how I look. Just look at me, Preston. I am your average teenage girl, in other words, plain.” She pressed, wiping her tears with the back of her hand as new ones replace the one she wiped.

Preston shook his head and held her in place, looking sternly down at her. “You are beautiful in your own way Ms. White. You are rather oblivious when it comes to the male population that surrounds you. Boy would practically throw their selves at you.”

She frowned and rubbed her eyes. “Why wouldn’t they though?”

The older male laughed at that one and asked how innocent this girl can be. “The reason is out there, having fun oblivious about your feelings for him.”

Her eyes widened on what she heard. She turned to head to look out where the others are and searched for a member of the band that has curls. “Harry?”

He nodded and leaned back against the seat. “The boy can be intimidating when he wants to be.”

She tried to think of the good reasonable reasons of her best friend for scaring boys away. He must just be protective of her. It is not like he would scare some boy because he has feelings for her. As much as she wants that to be true, she knows it’s impossible. And she can’t help but feel furious. If what Preston said was true, then he is treating her like a child that needs to be protected when in truth she doesn’t. She can take care of herself.

She sighed and looked down to her lap. It doesn’t matter anymore though. She doesn’t care if Preston is telling the truth or just trying to comfort her. It is not like it will get her anywhere. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, wiping the last evidence of her break down.

She gave the boy band’s security slash father figure a small smile. “He sure can be.”

Preston looks at her and smiled. “You know, I have noticed that you haven’t been using a camera around for your vlogs. I thought you promised a few people that you’ll vlog about your vacation with the boys?”

Her eyes widened on that one. Of course she never forgot about the promise but it surprised her that Preston of all people knew about it. “How did you know about my vlogs?”

He laughed and ruffled her hair. “You have no idea how frequent and loud the boys can be when they realized you posted a new video. Let’s just say I saw a couple of your videos and the last one is part of it.” Preston stood up and gave Aubrey a wink before walking off to watch the boys in a closer distance.

The brunette blushed and chewed her lips. She decided its time to have fun and forget the drama that is currently brewing inside her head.

She stood up from the hanging chair and went to her room to grab her camera. It is time to fulfil a promise she made to the people who watches her videos.

 

With Aubrey permanently taking residence in Harry’s room and currently sleeping there, Charlotte gave herself an alone time. She plopped down on her bed and grabbed her laptop. Letting out a soft hum, she patiently waited for the device to turn on and stared out of the window.

She sighed deeply as she remembered what she saw earlier. She knew she was the only who noticed it. It broke her heart watching her best friend cry because of the boy that doesn’t even know how she feels towards him. She tried her best not to walk back and join her and Preston but she knew that she needed her space and Preston was already there to comfort her.

But it didn’t stop her for being worried. Her best friend was in too deep. Everyone has noticed except Harry. Maybe he has but is just trying to see past everything. She sighed and looked down to her laptop and viewed the sights she usually opens.

She smiled widely when she saw a new video in her subscription page in YouTube. She quickly got out off the bed and brought her laptop downstairs, calling the attention of everyone in the room.

When everyone was huddled in one sofa, she placed her laptop in front of them on a coffee table and clapped both of her hands together with delight. “Look who posted a new video just a few minutes ago?”

Louis perked up on that one and grinned widely. “That girl can edit very fast.”

Niall and Harry agreed with a nod and gave Charlotte a blank stare. “Why are you just standing there? Press play you wench!”

That earned both boys a smack on the back of their heads from Zayn. “That’s my girlfriend you both are ordering around! I’m the only one who can do that.”

Charlotte raised an eyebrow towards her boyfriend, both hands folded against her chest. “Are you sure about that Malik?”

The raven haired boy visibly gulped and smiled sheepishly towards the blonde. “I mean, no one even me can order her around.” The blonde smiled at that one and clicked play before settling down on Zayn’s lap. “I hope I don’t look too fat there.”

“You’re not fat, love. You’re the definition of sexy itself.” The darker skinned male whispered by her ear, making blush.

“Shut up both of you.” Liam grumbled as a familiar song started.

 _“Why, good afternoon earthlings.”_ They watched as Aubrey frowned and shook her head. _“Earthlings a bit overrated. It makes me feel like I’m some kind of alien.”_

Charlotte smile as she watched her best friend smile in the camera and into her screen. She looked around and grinned widely when she saw everyone watching the video with concentration. Her smile faltered though as her heart clenched when her eyes landed on Harry.

He sat there with a small smile in his face as his eyes glistened with an unknown emotion as he watched. She watched him then. He briefly closed his eyes and run a slightly trembling hand through his hair. She frowned as her eyes trailed back to the screen of her laptop. Harry isn’t like this when they watch Aubrey’s videos and vlogs. Something was bothering him.

 _“Because I love you lot so much. I’ll sacrifice myself and step out of the villa and have fun under the sun. And it is your only chance to see One Direction shirtless.”_ Everyone chuckled as Aubrey winked at all of them.

“Oh my god,” Louis gasped, catching everyone’s attention. He looked at all of them with wide excited eyes. “Did she just said shirtless One Direction?!”

With a subtle nod from everyone, his squeal was heard through out the house.

 

Aubrey looked around as she stretched her arms and legs, trying to shake off her sleepiness. Giving out a yawn, she looked out of the window and smiled when she saw streams of light came through the window. She stared at the window for a few moments before deciding to slip out of bed.

She let out a squeal when she a strong pair of arms slipped around her waist and pulled her back to the bed. With a sharp intake of breath, she tried to ignore the feeling of his warm chest pressed against her barely clothed back.

“Stay with me for awhile,” Harry huskily whispered against her neck as he pressed his nose deep in her neck, his hold on her tightening a bit. “It is too early.”

The brunette girl bit her lip and slightly turned her face to look at him as she felt his head lean back to the pillow. He was not fully awake yet but his eyes are peeled open. He sleepily stared back at her and gave her a heart melting smile. “Go back to sleep. For me?”

She chuckled on that one and gave his cheek a pat. “You of all people know that I can’t fall back asleep when I’m awake, even if I wanted to.”

His grip around her tightened, she rolled her eyes due to his stubbornness. “We could always change that. We can start now. Just close your eyes and let sleep flow through.” When she didn’t even close her eyes when he took a peek at her, he scowled at her.

“Honestly woman, you can at least try.”

She let out a small laugh and shook her head. “I told you Harry. Your efforts will go to waste. Go back to sleep.” She whispered and kissed the tip of his nose. With firm grip on his arm, she pried it away and slipped off the bed.

She shook her head when she saw him already snuggled back to the bed. She ran her fingers through her curls, attempting to tame it as she walked out of their room with amusement. She didn’t even realise that she left a fully awake Harry, smiling affectionately at her.

 

Aubrey stopped mid way from grabbing her usual bowl when she realized what she did back inside the comforts of Harry’s room that became her own too. Her cheeks grew red when she remembered the kiss she gave on the tip of his nose.

Why the hell would she bloody do that? She was even the one who keeps telling herself that being close with the boy would not do her any good. She would fall deeper and deeper and there she goes being affectionate with him.

But he is also her best friend. She always does that to him. She knows that he’ll be asking questions when she would stop being herself around him. She groaned while rubbing both of her cold hands against her face. “Why does it have to be so difficult?”

“You know, you could at least try and show him how you feel.”

She jumped and turned around to see who it was. With both hands pressed against her chest, she glared at the culprit. “Zayn, don’t scare me like that.”

The raven haired boy just shrugged and gave her a small smile. “I apologize for scaring you.” He grabbed an apple and sat on top of the counter and watched her moved around the kitchen to prepare her usual breakfast, cereals with fruits.

When she didn’t say anything else, she heard her companion clear his throat. She turned around and raised an eyebrow. “What?”

The falsetto singer shook his head and sighed. “I mean what I said Abby.”

So this is what it is about. She sighed and placed her bowl full of cereals in front of her and took a spoon full. “You know that I can’t, Zayn.”

The Bradford boy just gave her a look of disbelief. “Are you serious about this Abby? You would hurt less if you act on it.”

“And risk myself from getting rejected? What I feel now about him would hurt lesser if I ignored it than acting on it and getting rejected.” She pressed, giving him a hard look. It was a clear message that he wouldn’t be swaying her with her decision.

Zayn just let out a defeated sigh and nodded, as the topic ended from there. Aubrey gave him a grateful smile before devouring on her bowl of cereal.

“Tell me Zayn, how did you even ask Charlotte out?” She asked and leaned in, her voice lowering as she continued, “Everyone knows that girl is quite hard to convince to date anyone.”

The One Direction member grinned at that one. “What can I say, Abby? I am just an irresistible human.”

She rolled her eyes at that one. “Keep on dreaming Zayn. You are not irresistible.” She scrunched up her nose in disgust as she looked over at him. He just laughed and reached out to ruffle her hair. She growled on the contact and patted her hair down. “What’s up with you people ruffling my hair? It is quite hard to tame these bad girls.”

The older male rolled his eyes and with a smirk he ruffled her hair ones more. With a glare and a loud hiss, Aubrey took a step away from him and finished her breakfast.

Hearing a set of footsteps, she looked up to look at Zayn. It was too early for everyone to be up. Her companion just shrugged and turned his head towards the doorway. When a mop of curls came to view, it caused a raised eyebrow from the Bradford boy.

“Harry?” Aubrey frowned, placing her bowl into the sink. “It is still eight in the morning. Why are you up? I thought you fell back asleep?”

The curly haired boy just gave her a half-hearted glare and slipped an arm around her waist. With a pout he said, “You didn’t came back.”

The brunette girl just rolled her eyes and lightly pushed him away, conscious about Zayn being in the same room as them. “I told you, I can’t go back to sleep even if I wanted to. Just go back up stairs and catch up on your beauty sleep.”

Harry shook his head and manoeuvred around her to grab himself a bowl of cereals. “Can’t go back to sleep and I’m blaming you.”

Aubrey gasped and glared at him. “And why would you put the blame on me? I didn’t tell you to go down and follow me.” With a pointed look from him, he said, “You left me hanging there and I had actually hoped that you just have to go to the bathroom or something and go back to try to sleep.”

She rolled her eyes and leaned against the sink. “Why would I go outside to use the bathroom when we have our own inside that bloody room?” The boy with a mop of curls pouted, realising that he already lost the argument.

“Charlotte was right for one thing. Both of you do act like an old married couple. One minute both of you are adorably sickeningly sweet with each other then both of you are fighting about pointless things.” Zayn spoke up, his caramel eyes glistening with mirth. He sat there with a wide smirk on his face and it didn’t even budge when Aubrey turned around to send him a menacing glare.

“We don’t fight about pointless things.” Aubrey injected, arms folded right across her chest. He just gave her a knowing look that made her sigh in defeat. “Okay maybe we do.”

“We do?!” Harry spoke up, staring at Aubrey with shock.

Zayn rolled his eyes and threw an apple seed at him. “Of course you do Harry. There will be no day that both of you won’t be fighting.”

Harry gave him a disapproving look and stubbornly shook his head. “Aubrey and I can last a day without fighting.”

With a raised eyebrow, Zayn gave him a ‘are you seriously doing this’ look. “Prove it, Styles.”

“We will.” The curly boy stuck his tongue out at Zayn’s direction and grabbed Aubrey’s wrist with his free hand. “Let’s go back to our room Aubrey. I’ll be eating my breakfast there.” He didn’t even give her a chance to answer back and walked straight back to his room.

Aubrey looked one last time to Zayn and gave him a helpless look. Why would that boy take Harry’s bait? Everyone knows that the boy can be cunning and manipulative when he wants to be. But then this bet is pointless.

“You do know that it is impossible, right?” She asked once they are safely inside their room.

He slumped then and there. He placed his bowl of cereal on his desk and threw himself at the bed. “Don’t even remind me. Even I know we can’t go on a day without fighting.”

“You’re stupid you know that?” She added as she joined him by his side, her eyes glued on the ceiling.

“For once, I agree with you.”

* * *

**A/N: Chapter not edited.  
**


	7. Chapter 7

Silence.

  
The brunette beauty was surrounded with silence after she stepped out of her room for the second time that day. It was already past lunch time and still the villa was engulfed with silence. With a frown etched on her face, she padded down the stairs and into the living room.

  
With Harry once again asleep after his breakfast, she was left with her own devices. It grew wonders with that boy. He is the only man she knows that can sleep through a day in a vacation, well all five of the boys.

  
She looked outside of the window and smiled. It was a beautiful day to have a dip in the pool. With an excited grin, she silently went back up to her room and grabbed a two piece swim wear. She pulled her hair back into a high pony tail and looked at her reflection in a full length mirror.

  
“I don’t get it with girls and mirrors when it comes to wearing their swim wear.”

  
Aubrey let out a loud shriek and turned around to see her best friend awake and was sitting down, the bed covers pooling by his lap. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her erratic heartbeat with a few deep breathes and a hand against her chest. “And what’s up with boys scaring wits out of me?” She countered back.

  
Harry just shrugged and ran his hand through his hair. As she watched, she can’t help but trail her eyes down to his bare chest. All she wants to do is run her fingers against his skin and see what his reaction would be. She bit her lip before shaking her head. She would not think of Harry that way. She forbade herself not to.

  
“Who else scared you today?” he asked, slipping out of the bed.

  
“Well there is Zayn.” She answered nonchalantly, turning her torso to the side to see if she properly wore the swimwear.

  
“Aw,” He cooed, reaching out of her wrist and pulled her towards him. He sat on the edge of the bed and settled her down between his legs, both hands by her lower arm. “Did he scare you so much it made you cry?” He teased with a small pout.

  
Aubrey fought a smile as she played along. She nodded and let him pull her closer. Right now, she’ll give in. “Will you make it better?”   
The singer smirked and rubbed his thumb by her arm. “I can think of some ways.”

  
Too immersed with each other, they didn’t even hear the door creak open.

  
She bit her lip and reached out touching his cheeks before running her fingers through his hair in the side of his head. “Show me?”   
“Are you sure both of you are not dating?” An amused voice piped up just by the doorway.

  
Aubrey jumped up in surprise and turned around to find Louis leaning against the door frame with an amused smirk. A blush went straight up to her cheeks as she stepped away from Harry, making him drop both of his hands to his side.

  
Without a single word uttered, she grabbed a towel and left the room.

  
“It wasn’t like what it looked like.” Harry spoke up, after a minute of silence, when Aubrey left the room. He sighed and run his hand through his hair. He can still feel the tingles her touch brought him.

  
Louis though didn’t seem to believe him and stepped inside the room. “You sure about that, Harry? Say, what would you do if I didn’t interrupt both of you or I didn’t come here completely when she said ‘show me’?”

  
He gave Louis a pointed look and stood up. “Nothing. Maybe tickle her here and there.”

  
The Doncaster boy raised his eyebrow and threw himself on the bed, both of his hands supporting his weight as he leaned back. “But both of you were flirting.”

  
Harry let out a frustrated sigh as he threw on a shirt and turned around to face his best mate. “We were fooling around.”

  
“Seemed like flirting to me.”

  
The curly boy rolled his eyes and stepped out of his room.

  
“Fooling”

  
“Flirting,” Louis countered back as the singer followed him out of the room.

  
“Fooling”

  
“Flirting”

  
“Fooling”

  
“Filtering”

  
“Fooling”

  
“Fooling”

  
“Flirting”

  
“Ha!” The older boy suddenly stopped and grinned smugly at him.

  
Harry froze mid step as realization hit him. He let out a loud groan and raised both of his hands to his face. Louis shook his head and clicked his tongue. “Just admit it my boy. You like the girl and actually want to fuck her.”

  
The youngest member of One Direction just rolled his eyes and padded down the spiral staircase and straight to the living room. He plopped down onto an armchair and turned on the telly. He lazily surfs the telly channels as Louis bustle around the kitchen to grab some food and joins him right after.

  
He was about to change the channel when he found himself being tackled down by the older boy. “What the fuck, Lou?”

  
The Doncaster boy sheepishly grinned and gestured at the telly. “Teen Wolf is on.”

  
For another time, he rolled his eyes and leaned back. “And I thought I would only put up with Aubrey with this thing.”

  
With a scoff Louis settled down right next to him, his eyes devouring the telly. “You are just jealous that Dylan O’Brian is hotter than you.”

  
“No one is hotter than me.” Harry mumbled and sulked at his seat as he was forced to watch the whole episode. “He doesn’t even look hot. He looks lanky to me.”

  
The boy beside him gasped in terror and smothered him with a pillow. “How dare you say that Dylan O’Brian is lanky?” Louis exclaimed, putting all his weight on Harry.

  
The older boy laughed evilly as Harry thrashed around attempting to push Louis off. “Fuck off you fat ass! I’m suffocating!”

  
“Louis William Tomlinson? What the fuck are you doing?” An enraged female voice stopped Louis from doing any further damaged as he found himself being pushed off Harry and to the corner of the couch. “You can’t just do that Lou.”

  
A slightly damp Aubrey glared at him and helped the younger boy up. After fussing over Harry, she turned to Louis and pouted. “You can hurt him you know. Just not the face, he uses that for a career.”

  
“Yeah!” Harry agreed then stopped with realization. “Wait. What?!”

  
Louis sniggered as Aubrey smiled innocently at Harry. “Nothing dear, come on let’s lock ourselves up to our room and make yourself better.” She hurriedly pulled the curly one up and pulled him out of the living room.

  
“Use protection my dears! Don’t want to have little Harrys running around!” Louis yelled out before settling back to his seat and watched the rest of the episode.

  
“Fuck off, Lou!” Was the last he heard from Harry.

 

Aubrey left Harry on their bed and had a quick shower to wash off the smell of chlorine on her skin. She changed into one of Harry’s jumper and shorts. Letting out a yawn, she stepped out of the bathroom and threw herself on top of Harry who was lying down on his front.

  
“Get off donut ass, you are heavy as hell.” He mumbled against the pillow. Aubrey just huffed before snuggling by his side. “I am not that heavy you jerk.”

  
“Whatever floats your boat, love.” He sniggered at her before pulling her close. “Did you enjoy your swim?” He asked leaving a lingering kiss on her shoulder.

  
Aubrey closed her eyes and let the feeling of his lips against her skin linger. “Mhmm. T’was relaxing.”

  
She let out a steady breath and snuggled closer to him. She tightly closed her eyes when he intertwined their fingers together. Biting her lip, she tried to ignore the warmth that he radiated off, the way he snuggled up against her, the way his hands fit perfectly against hers. Fighting off her emotions, she waited for his breathing pattern to change, his muscles to relax as he falls asleep.

  
“What are you doing to me, Harry?” She mumbled to herself thinking he already fell asleep. With a sigh she turned around and faced him. She smiled letting her fingers trace his imperfect skin memorising every bump and curve. She bit her lip and her fingers brush against his jaw. She let her eyes wander as they memorise his face, how it doesn’t really look that smooth than anyone would think. She let her eyes stare at his rosy pink parted lips.   
“I know I am irresistible,” Harry suddenly mumbled, startling her. She was about to retract her hands when his fingers wrapped around her wrist and held it firmly against his cheek. “Don’t stop. I rather like it.”

  
Her breath hitched as she ignored his request and withdraw from him. She bit her lip when he gave her a pout.

  
“Why did you stop?” He whined, his emerald irises boring into hers.

  
Giving him a look, she shook her head and sighed. “What I did was inappropriate.”

  
Harry just rolled his eyes and pulled her close by her hips. “Do you want to know what’s inappropriate?” He huskily whispered, nuzzling his nose by her hair.

  
Aubrey was about to answer back when in one swift move, she was trapped beneath Harry. For the second time her breath hitched, realizing how close Harry is from her face; his hot breath fanning her cheek.

  
“Harry?” She stuttered out his name, her eyes darted from the little space between them and his lips.

  
The man in question just smirked down at her and leaned down, his lips closer to hers by a millimetre. “What do you think?” He whispered, against her ear before nuzzling his nose against her neck.

  
“You better get of me you sick pervert before anyone walks in on us.” Aubrey mumbled yet didn’t even make a move to push him away.   
“I rather like it this way; you nearly panting beneath me as I wickedly do things with your body.”

  
Rolling her eyes and was about to push him off her when their bedroom door opened with a loud ‘bang’.

  
“What the fuck are you both doing?” Niall stood by their door frame with a look of disbelief.

  
Aubrey blinked while the curly haired boy just sighed in disappointment and rolled off her. “What do you think we were doing Niall? We were fucking our wits off.”

  
The brunette girl just rolled her eyes and hit her companion with a pillow. “Shut up you perv.” She sat up, mentally thanking Niall on barging on them. “Do you need anything, Ni?”

  
“Liam is awake and so are the others.”

  
Harry raised a questioning eyebrow at the Irish and replied, “And that concerns us, how?”

  
The blond rolled his eyes and gave them a look of annoyance. “Lunch is ready you fools.”

  
When both teens didn’t give the indication they are moving Niall scowled at them. “What are you waiting for? Get off the bed, both of you.”

  
The two curly haired teens hastily got up and walked passed them.

  
“Someone woke up on the wrong end of the bed.”

  
“Harry, its side not end.”

  
“Same thing, love.”

  
Niall watched them pad down the stairs before turning to Louis who was hidden by the curtains.

  
“You owe me a few pints my friend,” That was all Louis had said to him before he followed out, the smirk on his face never leaving.

  
The Irish just chuckled and shook his head. “About time really.”


	8. Chapter 8

The night LA breeze felt damp against her skin as she stood by the shoreline and watched the moon’s reflection dance with the restless sea. Aubrey let the soft breeze kiss her cold skin, as a wisp of her hair would stick against her as she let her gaze linger away.

There would be times that she would stand on the same spot and let herself forget about reality and let her mind wonder and imagine. Imagine that he was just behind her, his arms wrapped around her, as they admire the beautiful dark sky that is littered with stars and let the moon take her stage.

She would imagine sweet words would leave his mouth in a whisper, letting her know how he felt for her. She would imagine him tighten his arms around her as the wind whisper optimistic promises against their ears.

She would imagine that it was her reality and she wasn’t really just standing alone in a beautiful beach.

“You know what’s unfair?” She spoke up when she felt someone come up behind her. She didn’t wait for a reply though, she just continued. “I find it so unfair that their nights that would be cold and harsh and there would other times that it is cool and comforting.”

She took a deep breath and turned to look at Charlotte, who in return was looking at her with understanding eyes. “I find it unfair that the only girls that can get his attention are the girls who look so pristine, so perfect and then there is me, his best friend.”

“What’s that supposed to mean, Aubrey?” The blonde spoke up, not believing the words she is hearing from the brunette.

“I’m nothing but his best friend Charlotte. He wouldn’t notice me as more. I had read stories about two best friends falling for each other and they would always have their happily ever after. That’s what situation I am in, right? I’m in love with my best friend but the only difference is that I know he doesn’t feel the same way and that I will never reach my happily ever after with him.” Aubrey let out a shaky breath and turned back to stare directly at the moon.

“So what if he doesn’t feel the same way? Aubrey the time will come when you will have to just let him go and move on. Sometimes letting go would hurt less than holding on. Some people are not worth that kind of effort. He is just a boy. There are a lot of them around. It just takes the right man to let you feel loved like you want them to. But he may not be the one to do that.”

“I don’t want to though. I wouldn’t be able to love anyone like how I love him. He sees me as me and not some girl who wants to snake into his bed and in his pants.” She let out a defeated sigh and sat down on the sand.

Aubrey might not see but Charlotte was softly smiling at her.

“Then tell him how you feel.”

“It is not as easy as it sound, Charlotte.”

“It’s never easy, love.” The blonde sat beside her and wrapped her arms around the brunette. “But if you think he is worth it, then why not do it, right?”

Aubrey smiled and rests her head on her best friend’s shoulder.

“Who’s worth it?”

Both girls jumped out in surprise before simultaneously turning their head to see who spoke up.

“Harry,” Aubrey breathed, eyeing the curly boy. “What are you doing here?”

Harry just shrugged and gave her a sheepish smile, “looking for you.”

She blinked as her heart raced. Suddenly the cool breeze became warm and soothing against her skin. Her cheeks flushed, the darkness of the night hiding it from the boy’s view.

“Is that so?”

He just nodded and scratched the back of his neck. “I want to tell you something.”

She ignored the butterflies that fluttered and forced out a nod. “You can tell me now.”

The boy in front of them bit her lip and stole a glance towards Charlotte. “Alone.”

The blonde with them blinked a few times before realization hit her. “Oh, right.” She smiled sheepishly at the girl next to her before leaving the brunette with him.

Aubrey watched him then. He just stood there, the breeze messing his already unruly hair. When Charlotte left, he seemed distant. His eyes was strained towards the sea, the waves relentless than ever.

She welcomed the silence between them as she averted her eyes from him and went back to staring the bright full moon. She bit her lip as she let her mind wander around, wondering what he wanted to talk about. Is he...? No, it was impossible. He would never see her more than what she is now.

Letting a heavy sigh leave her mouth, she tried to not think about the pain she feels when reality would slap her in the face and remind her that what she wants is impossible. She will always be Aubrey the best friend.

“You met a boy then,” she jumped when she heard him speak. It was almost a whisper against her skin. She might be just hearing things but she was sure that she heard his voice crack in the end.

Aubrey turned her head to look at him, eyeing him with disbelief. “Why would you think about such a thing?”

He bit his lip and finally looked down to meet her eyes. Her breath hitched as she saw his eyes shined with unknown emotion. “I heard you and Charlotte talking about it.”

She gasped as anger seeped through her pores. How dare he eavesdrop? She stood up and glared at him, her hands clenched on her sides. “It’s not your business what we talk about.”

His eyes narrowed towards her and scoffed. “It’s not like I had the intention to listen about you blabbing about some boy.”

“You have no right, Harry. It was between me and Charlotte.” She seethed, trying her hardest to see the rational side of this. But after weeks of frustration over him, she finally snapped and can’t help it but throw it all at him.

“Oh, so I don’t have the right to know that some guy is whisking you off just below my nose.” He clenched his jaw, the warmness that radiates from his eyes itself gone.

She glared at him, not even bothering on replying.

He bit his lip and shook his head in disbelief. “So it is true then. There is someone.”

Aubrey’s eyes widened when he actually looked hurt as he shoved words in her mouth. No, she was just seeing things. Her mind is just playing ticks on her because of her anger. He would never be hurt about some boy being with her. He should be happy, right? That his best friend found someone to love? It was a rational reasoning. She will be then not bothering him.

“Who is it? Is it Niall?”

She found herself rolling her eyes and folded her arms across her chest. “No.”

“Josh?”

“For goodness sake your drummer has a girlfriend.”

“Then who is it, Aubrey?” His voice rose, it was clear that this was upsetting him. He took a step forward and held her by her arms. His eyes were relentless as they searched her own; searching for answers that Aubrey doesn’t even know.

The accused girl just glared back at him and pushed him away from her. She ignored the flash of hurt in his eyes and took a step back. “Like I said it is none of your business.” With one final stony stare she walked passed him.

She was just a few steps away from her when his frustrated voice stopped him.

“It is part of my fucking business,” He seethed. Before she can even react, she was spun by her arm, her face a few inches away from his. “I am your best friend, Aubrey. Don’t you think I have the right to know who the bloke that stole your affections is?”

She snatched her arm back at him and looked at him with tears in her eyes. “Is that what I am only to you, Harry; your best friend? I’ll always just be your best friend, right? You will always see me as the girl who would always be behind your back when you need her. I will always just be the best friend who you will run to when some girl breaks you.” She snapped as she tried her best not to break down in front of him.

“What, what are you talking about?” He stuttered, taken back by her words.

She let out a humourless chuckle and shook her head. She humiliated herself enough. “Forget about it.” She hissed before she turned her back on him and left.

 

Aubrey closed her eyes as she leaned against the bedroom door. How could she be so stupid? With what she did, not only she looked pathetic but Harry might know what she truly feels towards him. He would resent her for it. She wasn’t even sure why he just snapped at him when all he did was blurt out what he heard.

She let out a loud groan when she felt her tears roll down her cheeks. She blinked away the unshed ones and wiped the remaining ones. She threw herself on the bed and grabbed the first laptop that was insight.

Not bothering if it was hers or Harry’s, she turned it on with the intention of drowning herself with sappy movies. She was about to grab her earphones when she froze mid way as her eyes landed on the screen. It seemed like Harry had made their picture together, which was taken a few months back, as his laptop background. It was one of her favourites. His smile was radiant as she kissed his cheeks, the laughter evident in her eyes.

She huffed before going to Netflix. She should not think of him at the moment. What she did was embarrassing and it may cause their friendship altogether. She knows that she needs to apologize but then knowing how harry is when he is angry, she’ll give him space.

Before choosing the movie she wanted, she grabbed her earphones and flipped off the lights.

Half way through the movie, she heard a light knock and the door creaked open. Thinking it was just Liam checking up on her, she didn’t bother to look up and continued to watch the movie. She didn’t even realize that the door closed right after someone entered the room.

The brunette slightly jumped when the bed dipped on the other side and found Harry snuggling to her side. She softened up and smiled before offering Harry one of the buds. The curly haired boy silently took it from her and watched the movie.

The movie was about to end when Aubrey found herself tucked on Harry’s side while his laptop now lies on his lap. She bit her lip and looked up just to find out that he was already looking at her. Without a moment of hesitation, she watched him raise his hand and brushed his thumb across her cheek and jaw. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled before leaning down to kiss her forehead.

Aubrey gave him a soft smile before pushing herself flush against him, her nose buried on his chest. “I should be the one to apologize,” she mumbled against his shirt clad chest.

He nuzzled his nose on her hair, tightening his arms around her. “We are both at fault here.”

Feeling the tension simmer down, Aubrey had let herself have the moment and let Harry hold her. Moving her head let her ear press on his chest to hear his heart beat; Aubrey remembered why he was at the beach at the first place.

“What was it you want to tell me? Before everything went haywire,” she stared at the moon that can be seen by the double French doors that lead to the balcony.

She felt his muscles turn rigid before it relaxed against her frame. He sighed and pressed his against her temple before nuzzling back his nose by her hair. “That’s for another time. Go to sleep.” He murmured.

She really wanted him to just tell her but pushing him will just ruin the night even more. Aubrey gave him a subtle nod before succumbing to his words and let sleep over take her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry if it took a bit of time for me to update this. Thank you for everyone who sent a review. You make me so happy and actually inspire me to continue writing this even if college is pretty much eating up my time.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this one. :)


	9. Chapter 9

The rain poured heavily on their fifth day of vacation, forcing the group to stay indoors and kill the time with whatever they can think of. All of them huddled over the game room, Niall, Harry and Louis playing FIFA while Zayn and Liam was scrolling through their Twitter.

By the large beanbag was where Charlotte and Aubrey were huddled together in front of a laptop. They had been going through Aubrey’s Tumblr and We Heart It accounts. They had been scrolling through a tag named after Chace Crawford.

“Just look at him, Aubrey. I would tap him anytime,” Charlotte gushed as she saw another photo of Chace, hotter than ever.

The brunette just rolled her eyes and nudged her best friend, catching Zayn glare at their direction. “Behave yourself. You have a boyfriend for goodness sake.”

The blonde snorted and leaned in to scroll down. “Oh please. Everyone knows Nate freaking Archibald is sizzling.”

Aubrey tried not to giggle as she watched Zayn roll his eyes and went back to his phone. “Well, yeah but dude you do know that Chuck is hotter, right?” She added in a hush whisper before both girls burst out in giggles.

“Are you already replacing me, Aubrey?” Harry spoke up with a pout, his eyes never leaving the telly’s screen.

As her giggles subsided, the youngest of the group snorted, “Oh please. You have a lot of replacements. Trust me.”

A loud dramatic gasp was heard making both girls look up to the curly haired singer. “How dare you do such thing? I thought I was the only one for you Boo.” Aubrey was about to answer back when Liam gave her a hard stare. “Don’t you dare, having to witness those disgusting name callings for dinner during out first night here was enough.”

She pouted and gave the laptop to the girl beside her, letting her best friend drool over who ever she finds hotter than Zayn. “You no fun, Liam.” She gave him a playful glare and grabbed Harry by his wrist. “Come on buttercup let’s bring our _disgusting_ name callings to our room and let them be.”

Before Liam can even react, Aubrey pulled Harry out of the game room, who was sticking his tongue out at the Wolverhampton boy.

“Is it just me or are they spending more time together than with us?” Niall spoke up, as the game ended.

For the first time Louis spoke up with a snort, “I bet they are shagging each other’s wits out.”

“Oh just imagine,” Charlotte spoke up with an excited glimmer in her eyes, “Harry pushing her against the wall not wasting time to press his lips against hers. Aubrey would wrap her around his neck to pull him even closer, her chest flush against his. He then would let his fingers wonder. The kiss would deepen and he would brush his fingers by her clothed breast making her gasp – what?”

“How could you even think of such things?” Niall spoke up, his head tilted to the side with wonder.

The blonde just shrugged and nonchalantly examined her nails. “I may or may not have been inside the world of fanfiction.”

The remaining boys let out a gasp of disbelief, horrified that the blonde read such things. Charlotte blinked and stared at them. “Oh please! It is not a crime to read those things. I actually found some that are actually good and can have a great possibility to be published.”

Niall, the poor boy, covered his ears trying to block out whatever his friend was talking about. He head ‘accidentally’ read a few and he was shocked that their fans could be very creative. He had been a vampire, a prince, a bully, a bad boy and even a stuck up pop star who either likes eating in Nandos too much or having sex with every female character he comes across.

“Some stories were actually published? Do they still use our names or anything?” Liam spoke up, curious about how it works. The only girl in the room nodded in confirmation saying, “Well, they only change the name of the boy. Like there was a Harry fic that was published in Turkey and the writer changed his name into Alec? Alex? I forgot but yeah.”

Zayn perked up when he heard his best friend’s name. “So, who do you read?”

Charlotte scrunched up her nose in confusion, “what are you talking about?”

Her boyfriend let out an exaggerated sigh, getting impatient. “Who among us do you read about? Me?”

The girl on the beanbag bit her lip and smiled sheepishly towards his direction. “No actually. Most of them are about Louis or Harry.”

The raven haired boy looked grief stricken, grieving for his ego that deflated a bit. “What? But why? What is so special about this wanky boy over here and about the one who is probably shacking up with your best friend?”

Louis snorted and leaned back against the couch, his eyes trained on the screen of the television, looking smugger than ever. “Can’t you see Zayn? Me and Harry are more popular on those kind of things. If I am right, fans love wiring about Harry and I. We are just that charismatic you know. And I know Charlotte has secretly harbouring a crush towards me. Like who wouldn’t want me.”

And at the end, he got a pillow thrown at his face.

 

Aubrey blinked, focusing her eyes. She looked at her surroundings, breathing irregularly. One second she was laughing her wits off when they came inside their room and then she found herself on their bed, being pinned down by her best friend.

“Do you love him?” He suddenly asked, his eyes begging her for reassurance. The brunette frowned confusedly up at him. “What are you talking about?”

He shook his head and climbed off her. Aubrey watched him pace right in front of her, his face unreadable. She fought a scowl, hating how he would just flip over her. Why can’t he just move on from their last fight? She doesn’t even bloody love anyone except for him. Not like she would tell him that and get rejected.

What confuses her most is that, he is actually affected and being a downright jerk about her loving someone. If she did, and it wasn’t him, he doesn’t have the right to decide for her. When he failed to answer her question and just kept on pacing around their room, she scowled at his direction.   “Harry!”

His head snapped towards her direction, momentarily forgetting that he was actually not alone. “You know what I am talking about.” He hissed his eyes cold.

She gasped, not believing how he was acting towards hers. One second he was laughing and tackling her down on the bed and then he would act so coldly at her. She stood up from the bed and glared right back at him. “Can you just forget about what you heard from a few nights back? And it is not your bloody business if I love someone!”

The brunette’s breathing pattern was uneven with aggravation. She can’t believe the gull of this man in front of her.

“Of course it is my bloody business! I am your best friend for fuck sakes!”

Aubrey let out a humourless laugh and pushed him away from her when he was just a few meters away from her. “You are my best friend! But it doesn’t mean that you have a say on who I love!”

“It was just one fucking question!” He glared down at her, pulling on his hair. His hands were shaking with rage.

The girl in front of him stood her ground and glared at him. “Fine! You want to know if I love him? Fine!” She growled her fingers curled into fists, trying to contain her anger. “I do. I fucking love him so much that it actually hurts! I love him so much that all I can think about is him. He is the one I think first thing in the morning. I love him so much that I let him hurt me over and over again without him knowing. Is that what you want to know?”

She snarled at him, tears building up. No, she will not cry right in front of him. She refused to. She was stronger than this. She has to be stronger than this. She hugged herself, letting the tears silently roll down her cheeks. If only he knew.

She looked down to the floor, her hair hiding her tear stained cheeks from him. She heard a painful gasp from him, not totally seeing him stagger back and leaned against the wall like he was shot in the chest. His face right then showed so much pain on what he heard. Sadly, she can’t see him; can’t see the pain in his eyes when she dug his grave with her words.

“I see,” he spoke up after a few minutes of deaf silence. His voice, Oh Merlin, it broke her. His voice was cold and distant. “Go to him them. Why are you even here? You should be with him and fucking enjoy your time with him.”

 _I am. I am with him. Right now, I am. He is right in front of me. Can’t you see that? It’s you!_ She thought, looking up too meet his empty green eyes. “Why do you even care?” She weakly asked, wishing he would say that he was jealous of a mystery guy that she loves. That it wasn’t him.

“Because I’m your best friend,” he lowly whispered, looking away from her.

She shook her head, knowing he was hiding something from her. Anger simmered again, she knew it wasn’t the only reason why he was acting such a way towards her. She glared at him, thrusting her fingers on his chest, slightly staggering him away from her. She was a few inches away from him now, her hot breath fanning the side of his face.

“That’s bullshit.” She whispered, angry about why he would always resort back his reason of him being her best friend.

“What the fuck do you want from me, Aubrey?” He said, raising his voice that can make anyone wince and stay out of his way. The small girl stood her ground, glaring up at him. He was tightly gripping both of her arms, shaking her as he bored his green eyes deeply on hers. “The truth, Harry! I want the fucking truth on why you are so fucking affected when you are my best friend! You should be fucking supportive-“

Before she can even finish her rant, he stopped her with his lips hotly against hers.


	10. Chapter 10

The sun was shining brightly, erasing any evidence that it rained the day before. The sea was glistening against the rays of the sun, showing interwoven diamonds scattered all throughout the sea as its waves crashes down against the warm grains of powdered sand.

Children were playing by the damp sand, trying to make sand castles as their parents watched a few paces away. A group of college students were playing by the shallow waters, splashing each other without a care in the world.  Couples loitered around, enjoying the perfect summer breeze; Charlotte and Zayn being one of them.

Liam and Louis were lounging around the open bar, which was near the villa they had rented. Niall and Aubrey was sitting down on the first few front steps of the villa, their feet buried underneath the warm sand.

Everything was almost perfect. But, Harry was nowhere to be found. The other boys shrugged it off, thinking that the boy was in one of his brooding days. The curly haired man disappearing in the middle of the day was not a surprise for the boys. Zayn had explained to Charlotte that this was one of the days where the he would just hide in a cafe, writing a song.

They simply shrugged it off and continued to do their own devices, oblivious about the raging anger brewing inside the silent brunette girl as they talked earlier. Not after last night. No.

_Lips roughly moving against each other, Harry pushed her against the wall, his hands sliding down to her thighs._

Dark brown hair whipping against her back as the summer breeze touched her heated skin; Aubrey hugged herself as she let her eyes linger on the sea. She always loved the sea. It is always refreshing when she inhales the salty air and let the blazing sun lick her skin. The sound of crashing waves comforts her and let her succumb to relaxation. And seeing the excitement on everyone’s faces as they have fun under the sun never fails to bring a smile to her face.

But not even the sea can calm the turmoil of her emotions as she sat there, trying to let it soothe the ache that was throbbing against her chest. She bit her lip as her finger grazed against the covered purple bruise on her collarbone.

_Throwing her head back, she whimpered his name as his lips latched on the patch of skin by her collarbone._

She tightly closed her eyes, trying to keep the tear at bay. She shook her head and bit her lip harder. She can’t cry. She won’t. She had already done that. She was done crying and letting herself feel the sharp pain of rejection.

God, she feels pathetic. She can’t even stop herself from remembering the night before. She can still feel his flushed skin brushing against hers, taste hot chocolate and apples on her lips, and smell sandalwood and worn out leather on her skin.  She can still painfully remember every touch, whisper and moan that came from him.

“Aubrey? Why are you crying?” Niall spoke up in front of her, baffled as he wiped a tear that escaped.  She jumped and stared at him, horrified. She quickly wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. She hadn’t even heard him stand up and move in front of her.

She blinked back the tears and gave the Irish a half-hearted smile. “Don’t mind me. There are just a few grains of sand that was caught up in my eyes.” She reasoned.  Her companion hesitantly nodded, contemplating if he should believe her. She didn’t even try to stop him.

She shakily stood up and brushed away the sand on her calves and feet. “I’ll head back inside for awhile. I don’t feel too well.” The blue eyed girl didn’t stop to wait for a reply as she walked back inside, leaving the Irish alone, his brows furrowed with concern.

_Her soft milky legs were thrown up to his shoulders as he moved against her._

Hair flying as she briskly walked back to her room, she kept her head down. New batch of tears were already forming with every step she takes. The pain that she shoved in a small corner at the back of her mind was pushing against its walls, trying to break free.

_“You’re so tight, Aubrey.”_

The brunette covered both of her ears as she padded down the hall, trying in vain to not hear his husky voice.

_“Fuck, just like that.”_

Without any hesitation, she stepped inside the dark room and closed the door with a loud bang. “Stop,” she hissed, pulling her hair out in frustration as she tried to drone out his words.

_She tightly clutched the sheets underneath her as she arched her back, “harder, Harry.”_

“Stop!” she tightly closed her eyes. She acted too eager and wanton for him that it was pathetic to look at. She was pathetic. Why didn’t she just pull away from the first kiss they shared? Why did she even kiss back?

_“I’m sorry.”_

Tears welled up and streamed down as she shook her head. The ache on her chest was getting heavier and heavier. Her eyes were burning from fighting off the tears. The hollowness that came with the pain that stabbed her was slowly swallowing her whole. “Please,” she whimpered, hugging herself, trying to protect her from the pain and hollowness that was creeping from her veins to her chest.

_“Last night should have never happened.”_

“Shut up! Just shut up!” she cried out, her knees giving out. A heart breaking sob broke the silence of the room. The broken girl hugged her knees, letting sobs rack out of her. “Shut up,” she mumbled against her knees, trying to forget the look on his face. He can’t even look straight at her when he said those words.

When the sound of feet shuffling around the room woke her up, she was alone in bed. Harry was already dressed, fresh out from his shower and was pacing right across from her. He hadn’t noticed her at first. Her heart broke right then when she saw his expression. It was pained and frustrated at the same time. She knew then that everything would change between them and she wouldn’t like it.

Aubrey weakly called out his name as she covered herself with the thin covers. His head snapped towards her direction and it went downhill from there. After he stumbled out his words, already rejecting her and making sure that she knew how he truly felt about what happened between them, he slipped out of the room.

He left her naked and vulnerable as her heart shattered at the same time he closed the door.

 

It was already late when she decided to step out of the room, her hair looking more bushy more than usual and her eyes still red from crying.  She silently padded down to the living room and huddled closely to Charlotte. The whole villa was enveloped with silence apart from the soft conversation coming from the television and an occasional sniffle from the brunette teenager.

The blonde silently gathered Aubrey into her warm arms and tightly held her as both of them stared at the television. The younger girl was inwardly thankful when her companion didn’t pester her questions and was waiting for her to have the courage to tell Charlotte herself.

Aubrey looked down to her fingers and flexed them as she gathered the will to talk. Even the silence that she thought would comfort her is slowly closing in and suffocating her.

“Charlotte,” she started, inwardly cursing as she heard her own voice crack with emotion.

The blonde pulled her even closer and sighed, “I know.”

“What am I going to do?” She slowly looked up and stared at her best friend with desperation.  “This is my entire fault. I brought this onto myself.”

Charlotte shook her head in disbelief. “Aubrey. Honestly, both of you brought this onto yourselves. Don’t jump into conclusions yet. He might have decided to just let it flow and see where it goes yet when he saw you, he might have panicked and said the wrong things and rushed out because of embarrassment.”

The brown haired girl blinked and bit her lip, “do you really think so?” The other girl just shrugged and ran a hand through her tangled blonde hair. “Honestly? I don’t have any clue.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it had been a very very long time since I updated and some of you might think I had abandoned this but I haven't. I just haven't found the inspiration to continue and I had a huge case of writer's block. I'm back and hoping that I can finish this.


	11. Chapter 11

Falling in love with someone you aren’t supposed to love is the cruellest thing that can happen to you. Seeing your best friend as a different light; loving them from afar. Such a cliché and stereotypical love story it is. Everyone had heard about the story of two best friends, one of them secretly loving the other. What a common plot it is for a good book to read.

It typically goes with Best Friend A would suddenly realize their true feelings for Best Friend B. Best Friend A would try to distance them from Best Friend B, afraid of ruining the bond they shared. They would try to forget, trying to stop themselves from falling more deeply in love. Best Friend B notices of course and confronts them. Like a typical love story this will end up with them confessing their deepest darkest secret.

Best Friend B would look dumfounded at first but they would smile and happily pull Best Friend A into an embrace, whispering back how they feel. _But Best Friend B wasn’t supposed to fall in love with someone else,_ Harry thought with a click of his tongue. He stared out of the window from a small cosy café a few blocks away from the hotel.

It was stupid of him to think that he can have whatever – whoever his heart desires. How immature of him to think that Aubrey wouldn’t find someone to love. And now, he did the most foolish thing he could ever do.

He can’t even face her, afraid of the inevitable rejection. He wouldn’t be able fathom the pain when it happens. As years passed by, as he feelings for her deepened and deepened, his heart became too vulnerable. And he knows if he isn’t careful around her, he would surely shatter.

How would he ever show his face again towards her? Running a shaky hand through his hair, he let out a breath of defeat. Seeing how low the sun is, he is needed back in the villa. Did he regret the act itself? No, he can’t find himself to regret about it. The only thing he does regret is how he forced himself on her. He had taken advantage of her emotions, and that is unforgivable.

Seeing the empty cup on his table, he fought the urge to ask for another cup of tea. Another one wouldn’t hurt. After all, he only had two as he brood his whole afternoon away. But with Louis’ name flashing on his phone, he knows it was time to go and play another set of pretend.

Pretending…he is always pretending when he is facing Aubrey. Pretending on being the good best friend that he is known to be. Pretending that he sees her as just a friend, that he doesn’t see her as a woman he can love. That he isn’t hurting at all, that he can easily breathe when she is around.  Pretending that it doesn’t hurt when he stops himself from kissing her, from telling her how he really feels. That he doesn’t love her; not even the slightest. Not even at all.

When had he been good with this silly game he had started? He wondered as he took his time, walking back to where she is. But then again, he already lost. What a fool, losing in a game that he started. Such a damn fool to think he'll win in a game against love.

“Harry,” someone was calling out his name.

Louis met him half way, his strength finally wavering halfway. Harry Styles fell on to his knees, just in time for his best friend to catch him. “Harry,” someone was calling out his name again. He doesn’t even know who it is. But one thing is for sure; he can’t go back and keep his act. Not when he can’t hide his tears and pain any longer.

That night Louis Tomlinson witnessed how broken the man is before him.

 

Aubrey was sandwiched between Charlotte and Niall when the front door opened, revealing a very anxious Louis Tomlinson and an unconscious Harry Styles. She sat there frozen as she saw the lump form of the man she loves. All the pain she felt was suddenly thrown in the farthest corner as she stood up and went to his side.

“What happened?” she grabbed her best friend’s free arm and helped Louis up to the stairs and straight to the bedroom.

“No need to worry, he fell asleep on me,” Louis answered after a long pause, right after when he placed his best friend on his bed and removed his shoes.

“Had he been out drinking all afternoon?” the brunette asked, settling down beside the sleeping man, her fingers itching to touch him. The older boy shook his head no for a reply.

Frowning, she looked at the curly haired man. “He must have exhausted himself,” she added not soon after, already lost her inner turmoil when she brushed her hand against his hair. With a heavy sigh, she turned to Louis and gave him a smile. “I’ll do it from here, Lou.”

When they were finally alone, she bit her lip and glared at the sleeping form of her best friend. “You are such an idiot you know?” Burying her resentment for the man, she removed his socks, skilfully changed his shirt into a fresher one and been able to peel off his pants off him. Finished, she sat at the small space on his side and touched the side of his face with feather light fingers.

Ignoring how the stabbing pain on her chest makes her want to cry again, she leant down to give his forehead a kiss. “Why is it so hard to love you, Harry?” She sighed before standing up. The brunette gathered a blanket and a pillow before slipping out of the room, deciding to sleep the night in the living room.

 

Feather light fingers slowly waking her up, Aubrey took her time to get her bearings in order.  Pulling her covers closer to her, trying to protect herself from the chilly room, her eyes focused on the man a few meters away from her. Seeing who it was, she quickly sat up, making sure there is a healthy amount of distance between them.

Ignoring the hurt that flashed against sorrowful green eyes, the brunette bit her lower lip. She doesn’t even know what he still wants from her. Wasn’t it enough that he had rejected her? What does he still want from her? “What do you want?” she rasped, hours of not speaking and sleep evident.

“I woke up and you weren’t there,” he answered her in a whisper.

She looked away, not believing what was coming out of his mouth. “Do you really think I would want to be in the same room with you after what happened?” she spoke up, briefly looking at him before looking down to her fingers on her lap.

“Aubrey, please. I am really sorry about what happened last night,” he spoke up. Hearing him desperate and almost begging towards her makes her sick. She never wanted to hear such things from him. She knows she must be hurting him but he did fully rejected her before she can even say that she hadn’t regretted what happened.

The blonde knows that she should try and move on, accept that they will never be more than what she wants them to be, but she had a taste of him. She was able to taste him and feel him. She had drowned with his feverish touches and affections last night and it is killing her. It is like; she grew more addicted to him, wanting more and more of him.

Abruptly standing up, she gave him a hard glare, wanting him to know how deeply he had hurt her. She knows that she was being irrational and cruel towards him, especially when he doesn’t even know what she truly feels for him. She was confusing him with her distant actions, when she had lead him to believe that she is in love with someone that is not him.

She knows she should stop but she is hurt and she just wants him to feel as hurt as she is.

“You don’t know shit, Harry,” she hissed as she made her way towards the kitchen, suddenly thirsty.

“What are you talking about?” he asked, following her.

Shaking her head, she chose to not answer him. She was getting tired of this. She came here to relax and enjoy the two weeks off with her best friends. Aubrey never wanted to be the middle of drama.

“For fuck sakes,” she heard him before she found herself being pulled back to face him. This time though, Harry looked angry and hurt at the same time; a conflicting show of emotions on his part that is making her more and more confused. “What do you want me to do, Aubrey?” He asked, defeated.

“Just tell me and I’ll do it in a heartbeat but you can’t act like I fucking rejected you by saying last night should have not happened. It shouldn’t have happened, you know why? Because you are bloody in love with someone else and you had just let your best friend fuck you into oblivion,” he started to talk, like he can’t hold himself back any longer. God, she can’t cry. She shouldn’t let him affect her and cry. She can’t let him see her cry.

Trying to pry him off her, the broken brunette tried her best to not let any of her emotions show. Why is he doing this to her? What had she ever done in her past life for her to deserve this? “Harry, please. You’re hurting me,” she pleaded, still trying to push him off her.  The brunette wasn’t even sure if she was still talking about his grip on her or just about everything.

Fuck, his hold on her is too firm and she knows that she is about to break down right in front of him.

“Then fucking tell me why you are being this way,” he hissed, his cold green eyes pinning her down. Merlin, she wants to just disappear. She was very close to wishing that this was all a dream and nothing had ever happened.

“I can’t,” she whimpered, hadn’t been able to hold the tears that are now freely rolling down. “I can’t, please let me go.”

Eyes softening, she felt his grip on her loosen but still there. “Aubrey,” he started again, this time she can feel his begging eyes on hers.

“What do you want from me Harry?” she spoke up, not caring if she looked pathetic right in front of him. “Do you want me to say that I had wished you never said those things to me? That I was hoping that you haven’t regretted what happened between us? Because I do; I do wish that I never had woken up and heard your words. God, I’m so in love with you that I don’t care if you regretted it because I didn’t. I can’t. I am so damn in love with you that I would accept anything, just to feel that you might love me too. And with how things escalated to, I just can’t continue living like we used to. You just had literally broken my heart and I can’t just pretend that you didn’t. So please, let me go and let me mend myself back up so that I can be the best friend you always wanted me to be.”

She hadn’t even realized what she was saying to him, a second had passed before her eyes widened with realization. Oh gods, she did not just only made herself pathetic right in front of him but she had also confessed to him without meaning to. She doesn’t even know if she can ever face him now.

“You…you love me?” he spoke up, his voice cracking at the end with disbelief.

Trying not to break down right in front of him, she pried herself from him for the last time. She needs to get away from him. God, she knows telling him about how in love she is with him would kill her. She should have never let what the others were telling her. She should have never opened her mouth. Shaking her head, she started to back away from him. “No, no…I’m sorry. Forget that I said anything,” she managed to say before she turned around and left the room. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)
> 
> Don't forget to leave your comments and kudos! 
> 
> Blue Marian
> 
> [This story is also posted in Wattpad under the name of BlueMarian and in One Direction Fanfiction under the name of Blue Marian]


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